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Tuesday, 13 December 2016 07:21

Board for Arabic and Islamic studies: A bull entering our China shop of federalism - NIG

The New Independence Group ( NIG) a socio-economc think tank condemns the attempt by the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu’s move to resuscitate the defunct Northern Nigeria Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies, NBAIS as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Education. The group, in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, and signed by its Convener, Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde, considers the proposal as ultra-irredentist and flagrantly insensitive to plural sensibilities in a putatively secular state. According to NIG, a nation already grappling with the perpetual condition of atomism, occasioned by mutual distrust and mismanagement of cultural and…

Monday, 12 December 2016 17:44

Buhari to Nigerians: Don’t lose faith in me

President Muhammadu Buhari has again appealed to Nigerians not lose faith in him and the government he heads. In his goodwill message to Nigerians on this year's Eid-El-Maulud, the President promised to alleviate the suffering of the people with the 2017 Budget. Here is the full text of the President's message: "Again the calendar of life has brought us into another period of celebration, and deep reflection. Celebration, because we are marking the birth of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him), and deep reflection, because it is another opportunity of pausing, taking a deep breath and reflecting on the current…

Monday, 12 December 2016 17:41

Nigeria not working, her existence must be renegotiated – Atiku

Nigeria as currently constituted is an entity that is rooted in corruption, impunity and injustice and thus must be reconstituted, a former vice-president said on Monday. Atiku Abubakar, who served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999-2007, said at a forum in Abuja that the current system is the bane of Nigeria and not the individuals running it. “Political and civic leaders from across the country must come together, discuss, negotiate and make the necessary compromises and sacrifices needed to restructure our federation to make us a stronger, more united, productive, and competitive country,” Mr. Atiku said while expanding on…

Monday, 12 December 2016 17:38

Sunny Ade’s guitar auctioned for N52 million

A vintage fender guitar owned by legendary Nigerian musician, King Sunny Ade, was on Sunday sold for N52.1 million in Lagos. The guitar, which was auctioned by Jogun Onabanjo, Certified Auctioneer and Chief Executive of Onabanjo and Onabanjo & Co, was designed by Nigerian artist, Victor Ehikamenor. The glittering artistic piece was revealed at the King Sunny Ade‘s 70th birthday concert tagged Sunny on Sunday, which had an audience comprising of Nigeria’s richest and top celebrities. The starting bid of N9 million was followed by a very competitive bid by the well-heeled audience consisting of influential businessmen such as Aliko…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:57

Environment minister, Amina Mohammed, set to leave Buhari’s govt

President Muhammadu Buhari may soon carry out a minor cabinet shake-up with the imminent exit of the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, from his administration. Our correspondent however learnt on Sunday that the exercise might not be carried out until early next year when Mohammed is expected to leave. Secretary-General-elect of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, was said to have appointed the minister as his Deputy. A government source told our correspondent that Mohammed had already made the development known to Buhari and some of her colleagues. “For her, she would have loved to stay back and continue to serve…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:55

FG in secret talks with N’Delta militants

Despite its reluctance to officially set up a negotiating committee to hold talks with militants in the Niger Delta, the federal government has continued discreet talks with the belligerent groups in the region. It was gathered that at least three meetings had taken place in the last few months between the militants and federal government emissaries coordinated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Mohammed Moguno (rtd). The backroom discussions, which have incorporated other smaller aggrieved groups, are continuing, it was learnt, just as there is growing anxiety among elders and leaders in the region over the inability of…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:54

DISCOs performing worse than PHCN, NEPA - Senate

The Senate has lampooned Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOS, operating in the country, saying they were worse than defunct Power Holdings Company of Nigeria, PHCN, and National Electric Power Authority, NEPA. According to the Senate, unless a serious collaboration is put in place between the Federal Government and DISCOs, the power sector is heading for a total collapse. The Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, made these observations in Kaduna, weekend, during an oversight function on electricity companies and power parastatals. The committee also frowned at the failure of DISCOs to submit their audit…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:48

Survivors relive how Uyo church building collapsed

Some of the survivors of Saturday’s collapsed church building in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, have recounted their ordeal, saying they escaped by the grace of God. Reigners Bible Church International’s building collapsed during a service, killing many worshippers and leaving several others wounded. Governor Udom Emmanuel was the special guest of honour at the special service to inaugurate a bishop. He was there with some of his commissioners and special advisers. Some of the victims of the disaster are receiving treatment at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH). One of the victims, Mr. Thompson Emmanuel, who hailed…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:47

WAEC certificate valid for life – Registrar

Registrar West African Examination Council, WAEC, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, says the certificate issued by the examination body is valid for life. Uwadiae, who stated this in Lagos said that examination conducted by WAEC “is an achievement test’’ which remains valid forever. He spoke against the backdrop of recent moves to increase the validity period of the Unified Test and Matriculation Examination (UTME) result, conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), from one to three years. “WAEC is an achievement test. So, ours is to say at this level, like in Nigeria, we are for senior secondary. “So at…

Monday, 12 December 2016 02:45

D. O. Fagunwa's family marks 53 years of Yoruba author's departure

The family of the Late foremost Yoruba writer and pioneer author of the classics, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale, Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa, popularly known as D. O. Fagunwa, has marked 53 years of his departure from this earth. Fagunwa, author of Yoruba novels of magical realism, died on December 7, 1963 in a boat capsize. He died at the bank of River Wuya, near Bida, in present day Niger State, on his way back to Ibadan, from a working visit to Kano. He was buried on the 10th of December, at the St Lukes Anglican Church Cemetery, Oke-Igbo, Ondo State.…

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Sunday, 11 December 2016 18:37

Two girl suicide bombers kill at least three in Maiduguri - official

Two girl suicide bombers killed at least three people and wounded 17 at a market in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Sunday, a spokesman for state emergency agency NEMA, Sani Datti, said. Residents said about nine people had been killed. Boko Haram Islamists have been waging an insurgency for seven years in the region to try to establish an Islamic state. The jihadists have frequently targeted crowded areas - such as markets, places of worship and refugee camps - in suicide bomb attacks across northeast Nigeria and in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger. They have killed some 15,000 people…

Sunday, 11 December 2016 18:32

Goods worth billions of naira destroyed in Edo shopping mall fire

Fire on Sunday razed a popular shopping mall, Phill-Hallmark Supermarket, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State capital, ‎destroying goods worth billions of naira. It was gathered that the fire started at about 2am, when only a few of the staff were present. Several goods worth billions of naira were said to have been affected by the fire. The supermarket houses several sections, including a boutique, bakery, food and beverages as well as home appliances‎. The mall was also said to have over 50 employees and had recently undergone a major renovation. When our correspondent got to the scene…

Sunday, 11 December 2016 01:43

Gov escapes death as 200 die in A’Ibom church collapse

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, narrowly escaped death on Saturday as the building of Reigners’ Bible Church Int’l Inc, along Uyo Village Road, Uyo, the state capital, collapsed during service. The incident left about 200 worshippers dead. Sources said it took the efforts of the governor’s security officers to whisk him away to safety. He was said to have sustained a minor injury. SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the governor was in the church attending the ordination of the church’s Presiding Pastor, Bishop Elect Akan Weeks, when the building gave way few minutes before offering period. One of…

Sunday, 11 December 2016 01:42

How two suicide bombers beat security to wreak havoc in Adamawa – Eye witness

Eyewitness accounts recounted how the incident occurred. Mama Bulus, a popular grains dealer in the market, gave her own version as a well planned and co-ordinated attacks that took everybody by surprise. According to her, the suicide bombers took their time, watched buyers and sellers to commence full business at about 12 noon that day before the blasts went off. “The grains section of the market is where buyers and sellers gather most now in this market. This is because it is the season of harvest and farmers from far and near are bringing in their goods for prospective buyers”,…

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