Dangote Refinery appears set to commence production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of the sixth batch of barrels of crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

The fresh one million Agbami barrels of crude via MT ALMI SUN is the last cargo to complete the initial scheduled 6 million barrels consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility for commencement of operations by the world's largest single-train refinery. 

Exactly a month ago, Dangote Refinery received the first one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO), one of the largest trading companies in Nigeria as well as globally, trading in over 8 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Since then, Dangote Refinery has been receiving the crude oil in batches, and the 6th batch of one million barrels of Agbami crude, got discharged today at the Single Point Mooring (SPM-C2) at the Dangote Offshore Oil Terminal (DOOT).

It would be recalled that the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr. Akin Omole had told newsmen at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the Refinery will be in good stead to commence operation, once the 6 million barrels of crude had been delivered.

Omole said, “Once the 6 million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)."

This latest development will play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries.

Designed for 100% Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil as well as crude from other countries.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100% of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and has a surplus of each of these products for export. 

The Ondo State Government has reportedly set February 23 and 24 as the dates for the burial of the state’s late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

This decision was finalized on Monday by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa following a state cabinet meeting, which was not without its share of disagreements.

The meeting witnessed some discord over the composition of the burial planning committee, particularly concerning the exclusion of certain key figures.

Among those reportedly omitted from the committee was the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu, who expressed displeasure over her non-inclusion.

The late Governor Akeredolu, a significant political figure in Ondo State, left a notable legacy, and his burial is expected to be a major event.

The coming days are expected to be crucial for the planning committee as they work towards a ceremony that honors the legacy of the late Governor Akeredolu.

A source at the meeting who spoke with SaharaReporters said, “the burial has been fixed between February 23 and 24. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Committee made the announcement on Monday.

“SSG (Odu) got wind that her name was not on the list of the committee and during a meeting with the governor, Aiyedatiwa, at the governor’s office, she raised her concerns about it.

“It became a whole lot of argument and charged at the governor for not including her on the list of the committee. But it took the intervention of other cabinet members at the meeting to calm the nerves of the woman. In fact, I’m aware that the meeting did not end peacefully due to the manner Odu behaved.

“Don’t forget that Odu also has eyes on the seat of the governor and she is ready to contest in the governorship race.”

Naija News recalls that the body of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, arrived in Nigeria from Germany on the 5th of January, 2024.

The body was received by his wife, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, his children, and siblings led by Prof. Wole Akeredolu, the immediate younger brother.

The Synagogue Church of all Nations on Tuesday countered the BBC documentary on the late Temitope Babatunde Joshua, known as TB Joshua, Founder of SCOAN.

SCOAN described the documentary as unfounded, noting that the characters interviewed in the report were unknown to the church.

The church in a statement signed by its Public Affairs Director, Mr Dare Adejumo, said the statement was aimed at disabusing public minds from the report.

The BBC on Monday released a highly controversial and damning documentary on the late TB Joshua, accusing him of various crimes, including rape against some members.

SCOAN said, “BBC World Services investigative unit, code-named Africa Eye came out this week with weird and strange episodes of atrocities against the late founder of SCOAN.”

It said that to investigate and publish or broadcast reports was a central kernel in journalism but to do so outside the ethics and fundamental principles of the profession was an aberration.

According to the church, journalism as a societal watchdog requires fairness, balancing and objectivity to command dignity honour, and respect as the fourth estate of the realm.

“BBC has compromised these lofty principles by descending into fictional narratives and propaganda, thus turning itself into a weapon for a hatchet job as gangsters in the gab of journalism with a destructive ulterior motive for personal gains against a perceived enemy.

“Only BBC can best explain why it woefully deviated from true journalism and chose to be dishing junks and feeding the public with stones called bread by its offensive and disenchanted reports of disgruntled elements.

“This, to say the least, is insulting to our professional and public intelligence. One thing is very obvious, hundreds of BBC charades cannot rubbish the indelible footprints of TB Joshua’s legacies on earth again.”

According to the Church, thousands of human beings have received dumbfounding miracles and tremendously benefited from the anointing and grace the Lord endued with His servant.

“Those beneficiaries are all over the place and cannot be disputed that are lining up and responding angrily to this imperialist broadcasting station.

”Many of them are in the UK the home base of BBC but which its jaundiced investigative eyes cannot see but only the obviously suborned narrators!

“Myriads of broken homes reconciled by TB Joshua are also crying foul of BBC’s broadcast of iniquity. Uncountable hopeless children drawn from different parts of the world; some brought by their parents while some were picked from drug joints or brothels who have gotten their destinies restored are also pissed off by the offensive reports.

”BBC has obviously shot itself in the foot by its compromise and roadside journalism.”

It said the BBC would not have lost anything if it had gone to the church even to disguise as visitors to have direct experience of what was happening in the church instead of relying on disgruntled and manipulated individuals some of whom were never known before in SCOAN.

”Some of those identified there are relics of homosexual and lesbian associates. My findings further show that everything the BBC put together is strange to SCOAN.

“One other clearly illogical thing in the charade is the BBC’s categorical statement that the man of God was involved in all the abuse for over two decades!

”How can that be in a nation governed by law? It shows the station’s crude disrespect and bizarre perception of Nigeria.

“Where were all those shameless interviewees in all the decades? Was it when the man passed on that they suddenly became awake or came back to their senses? Only a fool will have respect for such charlatans.”

According to SCOAN, this is not only shameful to hear but also insulting to see from the work of supposedly well-trained reporters.

It pointed out that it was all to call the dog a bad name so that they could hang it.

It added that It was obvious that the sponsors of the BBC hatchet job must have been envious of the continued growth of the church like the tree planted by the riverside.

“Thank God your report exonerated his only wife of any wrongdoings throughout the decades of your so-called investigated lopsided work.

“But did you think any wife at all can see and watch all those nonsensical and annoying scenarios you painted for decades and still kept silent? I am yet to read or see such a woman in the universe!

“This is illogical, irritating, incomprehensible, unfathomable, and satanically dubious and malicious.”

(NAN)

A professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has lamented the lack of a functioning democracy in Nigeria.

Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Arise TV, Utomi said Nigeria does not have any political party at the moment in the real sense of how democracy should work.

The political economist said what the country has been having since its return to democracy in 1999 is simply a platform for machine politics with the aim of grabbing power by all means and sharing the spoils of governance.

He added that it is of utmost importance to ensure democracy works in Nigeria with real political parties in place before the 2027 general elections.

In his words, “Nigeria is not a working democracy, and part of our efforts is to make our democracy work before people think about the next election. Countries don’t grow by waiting for the next electoral process; countries grow through the founding of political parties.

“I can say without any feeling of wrongness that we don’t have a political party in Nigeria today. What we have been able to couple together since 199 has been a platform for machine politics, where the game is to grab power rightly or wrongly and share spoils.”

As a solution, Utomi said he is working on a merger of all the front-runners from the 2023 general elections to present a common platform and put forward one person who can get the job done in 2027.

“My view is clear on this matter, let’s build a great party that can make Nigeria better. When we then build it, the people from different social movements, in addition to the political parties that come into this one party, subscribe to certain values and ideologies of how you make a nation happen, can then present those who seem interested can go forward.

“This is what Nigeria needs, and must have but shouldn’t be about some individuals advertising that they are the ones who should go forward, Nigerians will determine that,” he said.