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Caster Semenya is challenging a rule to restrict the level of testosterone permitted in female runners in a case about athletes with differences of sexual development.

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Stars including Janet Jackson, Ice Cube and Quincy Jones pay tribute to Oscar-nominated director who has died aged 51.

Using the biblical analogy, the 'internet' is just like a double-edged sword -- it makes much of our lives easy, making it possible for us to connect with people, family, loved ones and business partners no matter where they are on the globe, on the other hand -- it gives room for 'internet fraud' and 'cyber crimes' to reach right into our offices, our homes, and and into our daily lives.

Sadly, for the past few weeks, the rate at which different views by popular entertainment celebrities and even the so called 'intellectuals', social media influenza (influencers perhaps) have been trying to normalise and appraise Yahoo-Yahoo Boys activities and other illegal activities through various social platforms in Nigeria is becoming alarming and ridiculous. This is however a reflection of the fact that a considerable part of the Nigerian society celebrates 'prosperity', 'ill-gotten wealth' and glorify fraud without questioning where the 'money' comes from.

A greater part of the Nigerian society is bedeviled with the utmost desire to get rich quick, amass enormous and massive wealth so as to feel important, because we believe wealth is the measure of power and importance. It is in realization of this fact that these “not-too-young-scam” minded set of people direct their attention to defrauding innocent people. 

While we may try not to castigate or condemn them on the basis of religious corrections, these so called 'Yahoo Boys' are not ghosts, they live around us. These same boys grew up with all of us in this same society. They share their scam escapades and proceeds at beer parlours, club houses and social gatherings in the midst of like-minds with no meaningful contributions to this society.

It's quite saddening that these individuals’ have made a deliberate choice to follow the dishonourable path of fraudulent practices as a means of livelihood. This is very much egregious, because it is not just a trend in Nigeria only but globally. The many cases of scam from these yahoo Boys are pointers to poor home upbringing, unemployment, peer pressure and so on.

Despite several arrests and convictions over this continuous trend, Nigerian youths have continued to ply the trade in droves both at home and abroad. Sadly, a very rich and popular yahoo boy is a role model to the gullible youths, many of them fancy his lifestyle and want to be like him. The only thin line is how to make a quick and fast money. 

We've heard many horrific tales of how these boys end up performing various rituals such as using small tortoise, which they keep under their feet whenever they are chatting on laptops with victims while for some, their fingertips also bear incisions and a charm-filled animal horn prepared by their spiritualists -- are these acts and many others not synonymous with that of those who are dreaded ritualists or kidnappers? 

Sadly, there are large number of youths who are dropouts, unemployed youths and undergraduates studying in the country, especially in the southern part of Nigeria engaging in this Internet fraudulent practices. With the continuous rise in this illegal activity, it is crystal clear that there's a frightening level of despondency among the youths – men and women -- but the stark reality remains that the absence of 'job opportunities' is fuelling a lot of youths to engage themselves in these unholy-profitable ventures.

Simultaneously, there are many young people in government, working in different organs of the government, NGOs, IOs and many other state and non-state agencies but sadly those who've chosen the fraudulent ways have been propelled in the wrong direction, brainwashed and grown as a hindrance in the way of other people’s lives becoming a headache to and burden on the society. 

Considering the divesting effect, uncontrollable increasing trend and magnitude in the nation's age-long prestige, the devil does find work for idle hands and when a gun is included, that work can have deadly repercussions. Hence, government agencies must intensify its efforts in curbing the nefarious practices of these boys before they start operating in another advanced level of fraudulent practices. 

Meanwhile, the Federal Government must be reminded again that Nigerians are increasingly losing hope and confidence in the nation’s security agencies because of the unethical conduct of some of its operatives. Some of the actions of the Nigerian Police Force have brought embarrassment to the nation. Cases of bribery or extortion and extra-judicial murder are on the increase. 

The youths must be reminded that they must substitute their sterile thinking and stubborn objection to entertaining the ideas of creativity and not be forced to sit on the margins of society, waiting on the train track for a train that may never come. In this globalized and knowledge-based world, every young person should harness every opportunity to contribute to the society while fulfilling their potentials and not partaking in criminal activities. 

Alao Abiodun is a Journalist, He can be reached via Alaojoshua200@gmail.com, Tweets @kingbiodun_

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A group, the Yoruba Youth Council (YYC), has sdescribed itself as the apex "recognised voice" of Yoruba Youth in the southwest of Nigeria.

The group affirmed that although it was saddled with the responsibility of protecting the tenets, culture and tradition of the Yoruba race, it still remains the only body promoting the uniquenes of the "Oduduwa region".

The YYC explained this on Sunday in an electronic statement issued by its spokesperson Remi Oladoye and obtained by SaharaReporters.

The group's southwest coordinators, Kazeem Wahab (Osun), Benson Akinwumi (Ondo), Femi Awogboro (Ekiti), Kayode Adebayo (Oyo), Femi Odeniyi (Lagos) and Daniel Sodeinde (Ogun), also signed the statement.

However, the group, which is a socio-cultural organisation, with its members both at home and in the Diaspora, said that it has nothing to do with a new group known as 'Yoruba Youth Leaders'.

It alleged that the group claiming to be Yoruba Youth leaders are "purely impostors parading themselves to swindle the members of the public".

According to the YYC, members of the group are resolute and unalloyed in their support to the leadership qualities of Comrade Eric Oluwole, its National President. 

"The Yoruba youth in the world have cautioned members of the public against relating or having any dealings with some group of impostors parading themselves as Yoruba Youth Leaders," read the statement.

"The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) is a recognized body worldwide of all Yoruba youth at home and in the Diaspora that was established years ago through the support of Yoruba leaders such as Late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Late Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Late Maj.Gen Adeyinka Adebayo, sadled with the responsibility of holding and protecting the tenets, language, culture, traditions and integrity of the prestigious Odua nation as one unique race around the universe.

"Just like the Arewa Youth Council of the Hausa speaking aborigines, the Ijaw Youth Council, and other notable body of youths across the country, the body of Yoruba Youth Council has always remained and will remain one, under the leadership of Comrade Eric Oluwole as the National President. 

"Any other disguised name not recognized as Yoruba Youth Council should therefore be disregarded by the general public.

"The Yoruba Youth Council on March 29, 2019 held its programme at Oduduwa's palace in Ile-Ife, where the Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi Ojaja11 was honoured specially and appreciated for his great efforts towards the sustainability of our highly esteemed and envied culture and traditions. 

"We also seized the opportunity to issue awards of commendation to illustrious notable personalities including the likes of Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu and many others for their immense  contributions to the promotion and protection of the image of Yoruba land, culture and tradition, a ceremony which attracted participants from both within and outside the terrain of the country; Our counterparts from Itshekiri were also pleased to maintain their continuous identification with us during this memorable event."

"While appealing to custodians of culture and tradition, our state governors and other stakeholders disregard information about any YYC events scheduled for Wed 1st of May in Osun State, ile ife precisely, the group also maintained that Yoruba Youth Council has not changed its name; we remain as YYC."

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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A group, the Yoruba Youth Council (YYC), has sdescribed itself as the apex "recognised voice" of Yoruba Youth in the southwest of Nigeria.

The group affirmed that although it was saddled with the responsibility of protecting the tenets, culture and tradition of the Yoruba race, it still remains the only body promoting the uniquenes of the "Oduduwa region".

The YYC explained this on Sunday in an electronic statement issued by its spokesperson Remi Oladoye and obtained by SaharaReporters.

The group's southwest coordinators, Kazeem Wahab (Osun), Benson Akinwumi (Ondo), Femi Awogboro (Ekiti), Kayode Adebayo (Oyo), Femi Odeniyi (Lagos) and Daniel Sodeinde (Ogun), also signed the statement.

However, the group, which is a socio-cultural organisation, with its members both at home and in the Diaspora, said that it has nothing to do with a new group known as 'Yoruba Youth Leaders'.

It alleged that the group claiming to be Yoruba Youth leaders are "purely impostors parading themselves to swindle the members of the public".

According to the YYC, members of the group are resolute and unalloyed in their support to the leadership qualities of Comrade Eric Oluwole, its National President. 

"The Yoruba youth in the world have cautioned members of the public against relating or having any dealings with some group of impostors parading themselves as Yoruba Youth Leaders," read the statement.

"The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) is a recognized body worldwide of all Yoruba youth at home and in the Diaspora that was established years ago through the support of Yoruba leaders such as Late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Late Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Late Maj.Gen Adeyinka Adebayo, sadled with the responsibility of holding and protecting the tenets, language, culture, traditions and integrity of the prestigious Odua nation as one unique race around the universe.

"Just like the Arewa Youth Council of the Hausa speaking aborigines, the Ijaw Youth Council, and other notable body of youths across the country, the body of Yoruba Youth Council has always remained and will remain one, under the leadership of Comrade Eric Oluwole as the National President. 

"Any other disguised name not recognized as Yoruba Youth Council should therefore be disregarded by the general public.

"The Yoruba Youth Council on March 29, 2019 held its programme at Oduduwa's palace in Ile-Ife, where the Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi Ojaja11 was honoured specially and appreciated for his great efforts towards the sustainability of our highly esteemed and envied culture and traditions. 

"We also seized the opportunity to issue awards of commendation to illustrious notable personalities including the likes of Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu and many others for their immense  contributions to the promotion and protection of the image of Yoruba land, culture and tradition, a ceremony which attracted participants from both within and outside the terrain of the country; Our counterparts from Itshekiri were also pleased to maintain their continuous identification with us during this memorable event."

"While appealing to custodians of culture and tradition, our state governors and other stakeholders disregard information about any YYC events scheduled for Wed 1st of May in Osun State, ile ife precisely, the group also maintained that Yoruba Youth Council has not changed its name; we remain as YYC."

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
http://bit.ly/2ZO1rpe

A group, the Yoruba Youth Council (YYC), has sdescribed itself as the apex "recognised voice" of Yoruba Youth in the southwest of Nigeria.

The group affirmed that although it was saddled with the responsibility of protecting the tenets, culture and tradition of the Yoruba race, it still remains the only body promoting the uniquenes of the "Oduduwa region".

The YYC explained this on Sunday in an electronic statement issued by its spokesperson Remi Oladoye and obtained by SaharaReporters.

The group's southwest coordinators, Kazeem Wahab (Osun), Benson Akinwumi (Ondo), Femi Awogboro (Ekiti), Kayode Adebayo (Oyo), Femi Odeniyi (Lagos) and Daniel Sodeinde (Ogun), also signed the statement.

However, the group, which is a socio-cultural organisation, with its members both at home and in the Diaspora, said that it has nothing to do with a new group known as 'Yoruba Youth Leaders'.

It alleged that the group claiming to be Yoruba Youth leaders are "purely impostors parading themselves to swindle the members of the public".

According to the YYC, members of the group are resolute and unalloyed in their support to the leadership qualities of Comrade Eric Oluwole, its National President. 

"The Yoruba youth in the world have cautioned members of the public against relating or having any dealings with some group of impostors parading themselves as Yoruba Youth Leaders," read the statement.

"The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) is a recognized body worldwide of all Yoruba youth at home and in the Diaspora that was established years ago through the support of Yoruba leaders such as Late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Late Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Late Maj.Gen Adeyinka Adebayo, sadled with the responsibility of holding and protecting the tenets, language, culture, traditions and integrity of the prestigious Odua nation as one unique race around the universe.

"Just like the Arewa Youth Council of the Hausa speaking aborigines, the Ijaw Youth Council, and other notable body of youths across the country, the body of Yoruba Youth Council has always remained and will remain one, under the leadership of Comrade Eric Oluwole as the National President. 

"Any other disguised name not recognized as Yoruba Youth Council should therefore be disregarded by the general public.

"The Yoruba Youth Council on March 29, 2019 held its programme at Oduduwa's palace in Ile-Ife, where the Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi Ojaja11 was honoured specially and appreciated for his great efforts towards the sustainability of our highly esteemed and envied culture and traditions. 

"We also seized the opportunity to issue awards of commendation to illustrious notable personalities including the likes of Dr.Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu and many others for their immense  contributions to the promotion and protection of the image of Yoruba land, culture and tradition, a ceremony which attracted participants from both within and outside the terrain of the country; Our counterparts from Itshekiri were also pleased to maintain their continuous identification with us during this memorable event."

"While appealing to custodians of culture and tradition, our state governors and other stakeholders disregard information about any YYC events scheduled for Wed 1st of May in Osun State, ile ife precisely, the group also maintained that Yoruba Youth Council has not changed its name; we remain as YYC."

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has answered those criticising the Nigerian Government for borrowing money.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, he asked such people to provide an alternative to sourcing funds.

“Those who say we shouldn’t borrow must have an alternative answer to where we will get the money," he said. "Those who don’t support borrowing, are they ready to support increased taxes?”

He blamed the slow pace of works on the federal roads across the country on the paucity of funds.

He went on to defend the decision of the government to borrow monies to fund its various projects in the country.

“Where do we get the money,?” Fashola queried.

“It is not from President Muhammadu Buhari’s salary or the National Assembly’s salary; we are talking about quantifiable, substantial billions of naira that need to be spent to pay.

“That is how you move money around the economy because once you pay the contractors, they order sand, cement, iron rods. They don’t keep all those things. Where the money stops, supply stops.”

Fashola assurance the public that the government would continue to improve the economic wellbeing of the people through infrastructural development in the country.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has answered those criticising the Nigerian Government for borrowing money.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, he asked such people to provide an alternative to sourcing funds.

“Those who say we shouldn’t borrow must have an alternative answer to where we will get the money," he said. "Those who don’t support borrowing, are they ready to support increased taxes?”

He blamed the slow pace of works on the federal roads across the country on the paucity of funds.

He went on to defend the decision of the government to borrow monies to fund its various projects in the country.

“Where do we get the money,?” Fashola queried.

“It is not from President Muhammadu Buhari’s salary or the National Assembly’s salary; we are talking about quantifiable, substantial billions of naira that need to be spent to pay.

“That is how you move money around the economy because once you pay the contractors, they order sand, cement, iron rods. They don’t keep all those things. Where the money stops, supply stops.”

Fashola assurance the public that the government would continue to improve the economic wellbeing of the people through infrastructural development in the country.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
http://bit.ly/2WUtxhp

Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has answered those criticising the Nigerian Government for borrowing money.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, he asked such people to provide an alternative to sourcing funds.

“Those who say we shouldn’t borrow must have an alternative answer to where we will get the money," he said. "Those who don’t support borrowing, are they ready to support increased taxes?”

He blamed the slow pace of works on the federal roads across the country on the paucity of funds.

He went on to defend the decision of the government to borrow monies to fund its various projects in the country.

“Where do we get the money,?” Fashola queried.

“It is not from President Muhammadu Buhari’s salary or the National Assembly’s salary; we are talking about quantifiable, substantial billions of naira that need to be spent to pay.

“That is how you move money around the economy because once you pay the contractors, they order sand, cement, iron rods. They don’t keep all those things. Where the money stops, supply stops.”

Fashola assurance the public that the government would continue to improve the economic wellbeing of the people through infrastructural development in the country.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Some kidnappers terrorising Rivers State have confessed to their victims why they are engaging in the criminal acts.

They said that they decided to start kidnapping travellers because the state government stopped paying them amnesty allowances.

In the past couple of weeks, numerous travellers in Rivers State have been kidnapped by gunmen operating unhindered both day and night.

Major expressways have become a den of thieves, especially the Warri-Port Harcourt Express Road and the Emohua axis of the East-West road in Rivers State.

On Thursday, April 25, 2019, some gunmen had stopped a Hiace Space Bus that belongs to G. Agofure Motors and was conveying 10 passengers from Warri to Rivers.

The passengers, including the driver, were led to a bush but the driver was later released and sent to inform the bus company and families of the victims to pay a ransom of N1.1million each to secure the release of those kidnapped.

A wife of one of the victims who spoke with our correspondent narrated how her husband fell victim and spent two days in the kidnappers' den.

The woman, who wished to be identified as Mrs Happy, said: “My husband left Warri on Thursday and as our usual habit, he was supposed to call me when he got to Rivers but he did not. 

“I called him repeatedly but his number didn’t go through. I then decided to call Agofure Park and that was when they informed me that one of their buses was intercepted. We checked the manifest and discovered that my husband was on the bus that was kidnapped.”

She added that the family was able to raise the ransom demanded after her husband had "spent two days with the kidnappers, and was seriously beaten and injured".

Mr Happy, who was recounting his two-day-ordeal with the kidnappers, said the kidnappers told them why they were kidnapping travellers in the state.

“They came out of the bush and intercepted the bus. They were fully armed and directed every one of us into the bush and kept us there," he said.

“While they were beating us, they said they kidnapped us because the federal and state government had stopped giving them the amnesty stipends that they received monthly. They said that is why they are kidnapping people and they said they would continue to kidnap people.”

The kidnappers were alleged to have boasted that the Police and Military couldn’t stop them.

He urged the Nigerian government to immediately intervene to prevent kidnapping and loss of lives in the state.

Under the amnesty arrangement, former militants who surrendered their weapons receive a monthly payment of N65,000.

CRIME Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Some kidnappers terrorising Rivers State have confessed to their victims why they are engaging in the criminal acts.

They said that they decided to start kidnapping travellers because the state government stopped paying them amnesty allowances.

In the past couple of weeks, numerous travellers in Rivers State have been kidnapped by gunmen operating unhindered both day and night.

Major expressways have become a den of thieves, especially the Warri-Port Harcourt Express Road and the Emohua axis of the East-West road in Rivers State.

On Thursday, April 25, 2019, some gunmen had stopped a Hiace Space Bus that belongs to G. Agofure Motors and was conveying 10 passengers from Warri to Rivers.

The passengers, including the driver, were led to a bush but the driver was later released and sent to inform the bus company and families of the victims to pay a ransom of N1.1million each to secure the release of those kidnapped.

A wife of one of the victims who spoke with our correspondent narrated how her husband fell victim and spent two days in the kidnappers' den.

The woman, who wished to be identified as Mrs Happy, said: “My husband left Warri on Thursday and as our usual habit, he was supposed to call me when he got to Rivers but he did not. 

“I called him repeatedly but his number didn’t go through. I then decided to call Agofure Park and that was when they informed me that one of their buses was intercepted. We checked the manifest and discovered that my husband was on the bus that was kidnapped.”

She added that the family was able to raise the ransom demanded after her husband had "spent two days with the kidnappers, and was seriously beaten and injured".

Mr Happy, who was recounting his two-day-ordeal with the kidnappers, said the kidnappers told them why they were kidnapping travellers in the state.

“They came out of the bush and intercepted the bus. They were fully armed and directed every one of us into the bush and kept us there," he said.

“While they were beating us, they said they kidnapped us because the federal and state government had stopped giving them the amnesty stipends that they received monthly. They said that is why they are kidnapping people and they said they would continue to kidnap people.”

The kidnappers were alleged to have boasted that the Police and Military couldn’t stop them.

He urged the Nigerian government to immediately intervene to prevent kidnapping and loss of lives in the state.

Under the amnesty arrangement, former militants who surrendered their weapons receive a monthly payment of N65,000.

CRIME Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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It is no longer news that President Mohammadu Buhari has embarked on a 10 day "private visit" to the UK without informing the National Assembly and delegating presidential powers to the Vice President. Expectedly, this matter has since generated serious political and legal controversies. The thrust of this legal opinion, therefore, is to examine the legality of the President's visit and make an x-ray of his right to privacy — as a public servant.

To start with, the trite position of the law is that the President cannot embark on a vacation without formally informing the National Assembly. Section 145(1)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, amended 2011 (herein referred to as "the Constitution" or "1999 Constitution") provides that: 

(1) WHENEVER the President is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he SHALL transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to that effect, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, the Vice-President shall perform the functions of the President as Acting President.

(2) In the event that the President is unable or fails to transmit the written declaration mentioned in subsection (1) of this section within 21 days, the National Assembly shall, by a resolution made by a simple majority of the vote of each House of the National Assembly, mandate the Vice-President to perform the functions of the office of the President as Acting President until the President transmits a letter to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives that he is now available to resume his functions as President.

The purport of this provision is very clear and has raised no ambiguity of any sort. As subsection 1 provides, it is mandatory for the President to formally inform the National Assembly when he wishes to proceed on vacation or when he is unable to discharge his function. Notably, the provision also wears the Vice President with the Presidential robe once the letter has been transmitted to the National Assembly, regardless of whether the President included it in his letter or not.

The word "shall" used in the section means must.  In John v. Igbo-Ekiti LGA (2013) 7 PT.1352 P.1 at 16, it was held that whenever the word "shall" is used in an enactment, it connotes imperativeness and gives no room for discretion on the part of the person whom the Constitutional duty is imposed. Importantly, the Supreme Court in Rabiu v. State (1981) 2 NCLR 293 held the need for a liberal and purposive approach in constitutional interpretation.

The question that should agitate the mind is whether the 10 days private visit amounts to vacation as captured under section 145(1). Wikipedia defines vacation to mean "a leave of absence from a regular occupation". The President, leaving his official and constitutional duties for good 10 days cannot be regarded as a "relatively short absence" but a vacation. The unjustifiable absence from office for days cannot be given any other meaning than vacation as used in the section. It is a constitutional infraction for the President to vacate the country - leaving his official duties - to a private mission for more than a week. There is a huge difference between embarking on an official assignment that lasts for days and merely jetting out of the country for reasons best known to him. The former cannot be treated as vacation and no letter is required to the National Assembly. But, in the latter, the letter must be written and constitutes vacation.

From the above, it is clear that the deliberate refusal of the President to  follow due process stipulated by the Constitution before embarking on his trip is a Constitutional violation and gross misconduct. It amounts to a total disregard to the rule of law and a conscious attempt to return Nigeria to anarchy.

Shockingly, the Presidency in justifying the illegal vacation claimed that "the law is only infringed upon when such absence extends to 21 days". Most respectfully, that exculpatory interpretation given by the Presidency is highly wrong and alien to our jurisprudence. The Presidency has no power whatsoever to make, twist or fabricate laws. They cannot translate their wishes and desires to law. The power to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria is vested in the Legislature under Section 4 of the Constitution. 

It is settled that whenever a constitutional provision is to be interpreted, the sections should be read as a whole and not in isolation.  See Chief Odumegu Ojukwu v. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999) 7 SC (Pt. 11) 30. Hence, the interpretation of Section 145(2) cannot be complete without reading it together with Section 145(1), vice versa.  

From the words of Section 145(2), it is seen that the failure of the President to write the National Assembly after 21 days of absence,  shall warrant the National Assembly to mandate the Vice President to carry out the functions of the President and act in capacity as Acting President  by a simple majority vote. The President shall thereafter write the National Assembly whenever he is ready to resume his functions as the President. 

With due respect, the Presidency should be cautioned so as not to crucify our Constitution in the bid to defend the President at all cost. The President is a creation of law and must not act or be treated as though he is above the law. Section 1(1) of the Constitution provides that the Constitution is supreme and Section 1(3) provides that any act done inconsistent with the provision of the Constitution must be declared unconstitutional and illegal. See Military Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR pt. 18

Sadly, President Buhari is proudly breaching the rule of law despite his Oath of Allegiance “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” and virtually everyone seems to be comfortable with it. And it is a truism that the consistent subversion of the rule of law by President Buhari is a dangerous precedent that must be averted by all legal means possible.

THE PRESIDENT AND A PUBLIC SERVANT'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY

There are arguments as to whether the President being a public servant can go on a 'private visit'. Put in another way, being a public official, does the President's right to privacy extends to going on private missions and 'vacations'?

The right to private and family life of all citizens are guaranteed under Section 37 of the Constitution. However, public servants and officials are public properties. In this sense, it means that once they assume political offices, they are now public personalities whose lives and activities are matter of public knowledge. Instructively, the critical moves and actions of public officials that are of national importance and relevance are not to be treated personal but public. They no longer just represent themselves but the electorates and their constituencies. So, their lives and activities, especially with regard to the office being held, should not be kept private to the public. 

The learned scholar, N. Dimgba argued that "being public figures, such citizens have freely waived their right to privacy by necessary implication". Although, there is yet to be any statutory provision to this effect, it is humbly canvassed that public officials should by implication of their status lose their "official" privacy and this does not necessarily open the floodgate for defamatory publications against them.
Matters of public interest should not be kept private and should be seen as a strong defence to an action for breach of privacy. What, then, constitutes public interest? Our courts have made attempts to give a few answers. In Adikwu v. National Assembly (1982) 3 NCLR 398 and Tarka v. Sketch (1978) CCHC 268, the Supreme Court defined public interest to mean issues concerning the government of the day as well as its leaders. See also Nigeria Textile Mills v. Punch (Unreported Suit No. ID/768/84 of 13/61986)

Consequently, it is wrong to conceal information about the President and his activities, especially those of public importance. It is against the spirit of constitutional democracy.

The President's vacation is not just illegal but also shows a high level of insolence and embarrassment on the persons of Nigerians. President Buhari owes the people of Nigeria explanations about his unauthorized visit since he is carrying about the emblem of the entire citizenry. Additionally, the bills of his travels, accommodation and all incidental costs are footed by our collective resources.  Why then should the vacation be shrouded in secrecy? 

President Buhari owes Nigerians deep apology. This is premised on the ground that the powers of government are delegated by the people through the Constitution. Infact, sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria - Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution. So, the President must treat the citizens with care, dignity and proper regard. 

Let me conclude with the alluring words of the late sage Oputa,  JSC: "the fault is not in our stars but ourselves. It is not in our past constitutions but in our failure to obey law, to respect and revere the most fundamental of all our laws - Our Constitution".

Festus Ogun, a human rights activist, is a final year Law student of Olabisi Onabanjo University. 09066324982 Festusogunlaw@gmail.com .
 

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Embattled leader Nicolás Maduro declared victory over 'coup' protesters amid violence in Caracas

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Nigeria, the giant of Africa indeed!

As we celebrate another Workers' Day on May 1, 2019, with more or less zero improvement from the last celebration of Workers' Day, one must wonder what exactly the point of the celebration is for the average Nigerian worker.

It's no new thing to us that Nigerian workers are poorly paid and overused by their employers. Interestingly, even for government workers, it is still struggling to receive salaries as and when due.

I weep for a nation whose President has a nonchalant attitude to matters arising and is careless about the state of which workers are poorly paid. Recently, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria signed the N30,000 new minimum wage bill into law. Sadly, that's still yet to be acted upon as an average Nigerian worker still earns less than N30,000 monthly in the minimum. In some cases, there are workers who earn much less than N15,000 monthly. And now, the Nigerian Governors' Forum talks of a possible recession!

It bothers me to see that the Labour Union of this country could fight for an N30,000 minimum wage in a country where poverty romances the average citizen.

Despite the poor pay of workers, it's sad to know that most states in Nigeria still owe workers salaries. Series of reports have shown that state governments owe workers between two years, one year and six months of unpaid salaries, despite the fact that they are paid peanuts.

If the country's workers will not be properly appreciated and still cry to the government for salaries to be paid, then it is only in order to say that there is no use celebrating Workers' Day.

Nigerian workers should be properly treated!

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Two middle-aged men met their waterloo on Tuesday over alleged stealing of a child at Edepie community, a suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The incident occurred at a private school where the child was being taken away from before nemesis caught up with them at the school junction.

While one was not lucky and got killed by an irate mob, the other two were thoroughly beaten and were only rescued from the angry crowd by the Police.

One of them allegedly confessed that they were sent by a politician, a confession that further infuriated the mob.

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with state police command on the current wave of jungle justice and insecurity was not possible, as the Public Relations officer did not answer his calls.
 

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has visited the Federal High Court in Abuja following the delay in re-assigning his suit over his Certificate of Return. 

Okorocha, in company with some of his aides, arrived at the court around 4:20pm on Tuesday and went into a meeting with the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court. He left the premises of the court roughly one hour after.

The outgoing Governor, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo West senatorial zone election, had filed a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking an order of the court compelling the commission to issue him a Certificate of Return on the grounds that he was declared winner of the election by the Returning Officer. 

The Governor had also petitioned Justice Abdu Kafarati, the Chief Judge of the court, for the reassigning of the suit out of the court presided by Justice Okon Abang after the case was moved out of the initial court presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo. 

Jones Onyeriri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had, in separate applications, requested Justice Taiwo to recuse himself from the matter because, according to APGA counsel, Orji Nwafor Orizu, he had “clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed he has taken sides with the plaintiff (Okorocha)".

Before the suit was stalled, four other candidates and political parties in the election including — Nwachukwu Goodluck Clement of KOWA Party, Uche Onyeoma Ibe of Labour Party, Precious Nwadike of the United Progressive Party (UPP) and Izunaso of APGA — had objected to the suit being heard by the court. T

he parties accused Okorocha of holding the Returning Office under duress to declare him winner, adding that the matter could only be handled at the Elections Petitions Tribunal.

 

 

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has visited the Federal High Court in Abuja following the delay in re-assigning his suit over his Certificate of Return. 

Okorocha, in company with some of his aides, arrived at the court around 4:20pm on Tuesday and went into a meeting with the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court. He left the premises of the court roughly one hour after.

The outgoing Governor, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Imo West senatorial zone election, had filed a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking an order of the court compelling the commission to issue him a Certificate of Return on the grounds that he was declared winner of the election by the Returning Officer. 

The Governor had also petitioned Justice Abdu Kafarati, the Chief Judge of the court, for the reassigning of the suit out of the court presided by Justice Okon Abang after the case was moved out of the initial court presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo. 

Jones Onyeriri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had, in separate applications, requested Justice Taiwo to recuse himself from the matter because, according to APGA counsel, Orji Nwafor Orizu, he had “clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed he has taken sides with the plaintiff (Okorocha)".

Before the suit was stalled, four other candidates and political parties in the election including — Nwachukwu Goodluck Clement of KOWA Party, Uche Onyeoma Ibe of Labour Party, Precious Nwadike of the United Progressive Party (UPP) and Izunaso of APGA — had objected to the suit being heard by the court. T

he parties accused Okorocha of holding the Returning Office under duress to declare him winner, adding that the matter could only be handled at the Elections Petitions Tribunal.

 

 

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A court in China has sentenced, Fan Wei, a Canadian citizen, to death for producing and trafficking methamphetamine, a drug used for attention deficit hyperactive disorder, weight loss and improving athletic performance, according to the Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court.

Fan Wei is the second Canadian to be sentenced to death this year. Ten others, including five foreigners, were also sentenced on Tuesday.

Relations between Canada and China have been frosty since the December arrest of a Huawei executive in Vancouver.

Canada has accused Beijing of arbitrarily applying the death penalty,

In January, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, another Canadian, had a 15-year jail term increased to a death sentence — prompting condemnation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Beijing rejected his comments, saying that Canada was practising "double standards".

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told journalists that Canada was "very concerned" by this latest death sentence.

"Canada stands firmly opposed to the death penalty everywhere around the world," she said.

"We think that this is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which we think should not be used in any country. We are obviously particularly concerned when it is applied to Canadians."

The latest case is likely to further inflame the months-long diplomatic row which started when Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested in Vancouver on

the request of US authorities.

Two other Canadian citizens, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, are also being held by China and face accusations of harming national security.

The Jiangmen Intermediate People's Court in southern Guangdong province said that Fan Wei was the leader of an international narcotics syndicate working out of Taishan city

between July and November 2012.

Another suspect, Wu Ziping, whose nationality was not made clear, was also death-sentenced.

Nine others, including an American and four Mexicans, received varying jail terms.

All were detained in 2012 but the trial held the following year.

Drug-dealing is punishable by death in China, and at least a dozen foreigners have been executed for drug-related offences. Many more are on death row.

However, the execution of westerners is less common. One of the most high-profile cases involved Briton Akmal Shaikh, who was executed in 2009 despite claims he was mentally ill and an appeal for clemency from the UK Prime Minister.

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I read with sufficient laughter the doomed riposte issued by one Christian  Ita, Governor Ben Ayade’s ‘Chief Press Secretary’, in his desperate attempt to misrepresent the submission made in my previous treatise. The principal aim of Christian  Ita’s perfidious rejoinder was to further delude nescientCross Riverians who for so long have been deprived of a decent lifestyle and have consistently been inflicted with a five-star impecuniosity by a chain of disastrous leadership that has held the State hostage for a sustained period of twenty years.

In his statement, Mr Ita alluded to the completion or commencement of several projects by the Ben Ayade-led government. In fact, reading through that misleading statement, one would think he was responding to a citizen who has never resided in Cross River and therefore not knowledgeable about happenings in the State. Anyone who has been in Cross River State, with the exception of the state capital, will readily see that the projects referred to by Christian Ita, are mythical achievements. It is a trademark that is customary with media aides; they have the knack for inventing fictitious stories in defence of their principal. A difficult job I must say, one that has to do with the deliberate assassination of one’s conscience in defence of an anti-people policy. See Also Opinion As Governor Ben Ayade Plunges Cross River Into The Atlantic Ocean By Elias Ozikpu 0 Comments 3 Days Ago

Beyond the several mendacities in Mr Ita’s ‘purple prose’, it is important that the truth be laid bare for the sake of posterity, namely that Cross River is one of the most poorly governed states in the world, a State whose achievements are only confined in the imaginary realm without a physical effect on the lives of its people. It is a State dominated by a penurious population, a shambolic healthcare system, a collapsed education system, and other infrastructures that are perpetually in ruinous condition across the State. At the top is a culture of corruption combined with a political elite that is completely out of touch with the daily struggles and travails of the average Cross Riverian.

Education has been so paralysed and totally defeated in the State that Mr Ita does not believe there exists sensible Cross Riverians who can rise to question Governor Ben Ayade’s crumbling administration. So he resorts to make very laughable claims that I was sponsored by a certain Odey Oyama, whom I do not know and have never met all my life. So ludicrous and so unfounded was Ita’s assertion that he failed to present a single bank transaction of any payment made to me by the said Odey Oyama. He also failed to present any evidence of a meeting between Odey Oyama and I or even details of telephone call(s) between us. From that speculative submission, replete with invectives and whatnot, and hurriedly concocted to save a face, it is deducible that Governor Ayade’s administration is one that thrives in speculations and propaganda.

One of the fundamental problems confronting Cross River State is that Governor Ben Ayade and his predecessors have succeeded in creating mass illiteracy in the State to birth a population devoid of the needed intellectual capacity to ask crucial questions on government policies. They have succeeded in creating a people who have a defeated mentality and a self-esteem so battered that they must applaud their ruthless oppressors in the face of widespread illiteracy, underdevelopment, poverty and numerous other anti-people policies presently ravaging the lives of everyday Cross Riverians.

According to BudgIT, “The total debt of Cross River State as at the end of 2017 was approximately N177.16bn, with external debt growing to $167.9mn in 2017.In the whole of 2017 Cross River was only able to generate revenue of N41.6 billion, with its internally generated revenue accounting for 34.58% - N18.10 billion.”

Is it not preposterous, therefore, that Governor Ben Ayade, knowing the heap of debt on the weary shoulders of the State and with its thin revenue, should pass a budget of N1.043 trillion for the 2019 fiscal year without clearly stating how he intends to fund it? Now the Governor and his people are hell-bent on mortgaging the future of our people and several generations yet unborn for 180 years – approximately two centuries, in exchange for N648,870,730,739.23 (Forty Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-nine Naira, Twenty-three Kobo), funds purportedly meant for the proposed “superhighway”. 

The Governor ought to employ viable means of boosting revenue for the State, rather than accumulating debts large enough to last the people for close to two centuries! Cross Riverians are not asking for heaven on earth at the moment. They simply want a decent life, with reliable medical facilities, well-equipped schools, good water (most of the people presently journey to distant streams for water), good roads to go about their businesses, etc. Sadly, these cannot be achieved by issuing lengthy rejoinders with the aim of vilifying anyone who holds a view that is antithetical to those in Ayade’s-led administration. They can also not be achieved by pointing out projects completed in the imaginary realm.

It is an intellectual insult of monumental proportions to lead a people and expect them to not ask questions in the face of hostile economic policies. Public office is no private business enterprise. The people whose resources you manage have every right to ask questions, and you are without the competence to act as you please. A public official, paid from public coffers, is without the competence to acquire the status of a demigod over his employers. That will forthwith not be acceptable.

An important thing that must be made abundantly clear is this: Cross River State is not the same as Ayade & Co Limited. It follows therefore without saying that the people must have a say in the running of their State. If this is not acceptable to the Governor, he has the option of resigning immediately. But one thing is certain: the proposed “superhighway”, with a staggering budget of N648,870,730,739.23, seems totally fraudulent and therefore unacceptable. It is a project several miles away from the innumerable challenges presently haunting Cross Riverians.

Dear Governor Ben Ayade, attend to the relevant needs of the people and let the common man/woman for once enjoy the dividends of good governance. It is a right, not a privilege.

Elias Ozikpu is an activist and a professional playwright, novelist, essayist and polemicist

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Segun Oni, former Governor of Ekiti State, has been summoned by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his native Ifaki Ekiti in Ido/osi Local Government to defend himself against certain allegations.

This is following the dismissal of the suit he filed against Kayode Fayemi at the Supreme Court two weeks ago to quest his eligibility to be candidate of the party and subsequently Governor of the state.

After he initially congratulated Fayemi, Oni, a former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC, had challenged Fayemi’s victory at the May 12, 2018 governorship primary in which he came second. 

In his suit, Oni had claimed that Fayemi was ineligible to stand as the APC candidate because he did not resign from office, as the law demands, as Minister of Mines and Steel Development 30 days before the shadow election.

Oni also claimed that the White Paper by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry raised by former Governor Ayo Fayose indicted Fayemi and barred him from holding public office for 10 years.

Prior to the judgement given by the Apex court, prominent party leaders, including the state APC Elders’ Forum, had begged Oni to withdraw the case after the suit was filed at the Federal High Court but the former Governor would not budge.

However, Oni failed in his bid to sack Fayemi from office, as his case was thrown out by all three court levels.

“We the executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifaki Ekiti hereby request your presence at the Ilero Town Hall, Ilogbe, Ifaki Ekiti to clear some allegations against your person by some members of the APC Ward II, Ifaki Ekiti," read the summons letter from APC executives in Ifaki Ward 2, dated April 24 and signed by the Ward Chairman and Secretary.

“Kindly indicate by informing the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward II, Ifaki Ekiti the convenient time and date to meet the executive members within the next seven (7) days of the receipt of this letter.

“Please treat as very urgent.”

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Segun Oni, former Governor of Ekiti State, has been summoned by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his native Ifaki Ekiti in Ido/osi Local Government to defend himself against certain allegations.

This is following the dismissal of the suit he filed against Kayode Fayemi at the Supreme Court two weeks ago to quest his eligibility to be candidate of the party and subsequently Governor of the state.

After he initially congratulated Fayemi, Oni, a former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC, had challenged Fayemi’s victory at the May 12, 2018 governorship primary in which he came second. 

In his suit, Oni had claimed that Fayemi was ineligible to stand as the APC candidate because he did not resign from office, as the law demands, as Minister of Mines and Steel Development 30 days before the shadow election.

Oni also claimed that the White Paper by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry raised by former Governor Ayo Fayose indicted Fayemi and barred him from holding public office for 10 years.

Prior to the judgement given by the Apex court, prominent party leaders, including the state APC Elders’ Forum, had begged Oni to withdraw the case after the suit was filed at the Federal High Court but the former Governor would not budge.

However, Oni failed in his bid to sack Fayemi from office, as his case was thrown out by all three court levels.

“We the executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifaki Ekiti hereby request your presence at the Ilero Town Hall, Ilogbe, Ifaki Ekiti to clear some allegations against your person by some members of the APC Ward II, Ifaki Ekiti," read the summons letter from APC executives in Ifaki Ward 2, dated April 24 and signed by the Ward Chairman and Secretary.

“Kindly indicate by informing the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward II, Ifaki Ekiti the convenient time and date to meet the executive members within the next seven (7) days of the receipt of this letter.

“Please treat as very urgent.”

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Somehow, I had come to develop a profound interest in Ekiti and this dates back to my early university days at the University of Lagos. Then, my sister was living in Ado Ekiti. On my first visit to that sleepy, sedentary state, I fell in love with it. The serenity, the calmness and the amity Ekiti enjoys with nature matches my own personal preferences. I was to visit the state many more times while still a student and I must confess, the state’s diametrically-opposite ambience with the combustible and chaotic Lagos really appealed to me.

I was to know that Ekiti is home to a huge density of educated Nigerians. In fact, the state is fabled to have the highest density of university professors in Nigeria so a state with such huge cache of human resources strikes a chord with me. I am from Imo, a state that boasts of similar pedigree that obtains in placing education at the apogee of human civilization especially in a nation where materialism and the pursuit of mundane interests have manacled the soul of its citizens and made beasts of people that should treasure values and mores. 

I read that Ekiti is the home of the legendary Col. Adekunle Fajuyi who was then Military Governor of the Western region and who, when a band of mutineers led by the now-sulking Theophilus Danjuma stormed the state on July 29, 1966 to capture and murder then Head of State, Gen. JTU Aguiyi Ironsi, who was Fajuyi’s guest, decided to be killed alongside Ironsi rather than surrendering him to the blood-thirsty ghouls. For this, Ekiti has a special place in my heart. I know that Ekiti is home to such other revolutionaries like Femi Falana, Alao Aka-Bashorun and erudite scholar, activist and now Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaiye. These deepened my love and respect for the state.

It was therefore understandable that I felt sorely pained when the PDP conquistadors rolled into Ekiti and laid bare all the values that made the state thick. When then marauding Olusegun Obasanjo overran the entire South West, removed its governors and imposed a crop of PDP governors in 2003, the amiable, gentle and urbane Niyi Adebayo was a casualty. Not because his people in Ekiti did not want him to continue but because he comes from the opposite angle of roiling Obasanjo’s political spectrum. Other casualties of this blitzkrieg include Aremo Segun Osoba in Ogun, the good old teachers, Lam Adesina in Oyo and Adebayo Adefarati in Ondo as well as the graceful Bisi Akande in Osun. Obasanjo had his kowtowing menservants to replace these governors in their respective states in compliance to his idiosyncrasies and elephantine ego and whims. The only state that never fell for his all-conquering do-and-die battle was Lagos under Bola Tinubu and with time, this proved his albatross which today has consigned Obasanjo to the valley of Nigerian politics where he bites his thick finger in pain and misery.

In Ekiti, the man Obasanjo put forth to replace Adebayo was the direct opposite of him. Tempestuous, crude, brash, ill-tempered, puerile and repelling, Ayo Fayose was the first direct assault that Ekiti and its age-old values faced. Not blessed with much education, which remain the prized heritage of Ekiti, Fayose was a self-fulfilled prophecy that violated and impinged on all that Ekiti people pride themselves for. Such values are the reason why they treasure education over the mindless pursuit of wealth and other cravings. Fayose was, to all intents, a rebuke on Ekiti and its foundation and for the nearly four years he was in power, the state witnessed a grand reversion of fortune and came to be known for all what it stood against.

Fayose was to run foul with Obasanjo, his godfather’s interests and this ensured he was impeached in such ugly manner that befits his ascendancy. In the subsequent 2007 election, Obasanjo was to put forward, Segun Oni who was of a more refined and nobler birth but still a stooge of the byzantine Obasanjo order. He contested against erudite scholar, activist and redoubtable strategist, Kayode Fayemi who was coming from a rich activist and anti-military struggle that midwifed the democratic dispensation in Nigeria. Ekiti people saw it as the right time to assert their preference for all that is noble and valuable as they voted for Fayemi but Obasanjo, who deigned the election as a do or die battle, would have none of it and tele guided the defeat of Fayemi. A tortuous journey to the courts and a macabre supplementary election that saw all the ugliness of PDP in display at the polls, however ended in returning the stolen mandate to Fayemi in October 2010 thus re-establishing an order that conforms with the desires of Ekiti and the core values the state and its citizens pride themselves on. 

Fayemi, knowing what the people desired from him, went to work to not only re-create Ekiti but also re-impose those values that had given Ekiti its place in pride in the nation’s history. Education, health, infrastructure, social welfare, agriculture and urban refurbishment were hitherto neglected areas that received heightened attention when Fayemi was in his first term. What was even more pronounced was that the state went back to its natural order that was violated when the PDP and Fayose rumbled into the state with a queer regime that flaunted its control of power and its apparatchiks as dividends of democracy. The people of Ekiti once more relished an ordered and normal flow of life and governance where things happened in such sequence as they had been used to. They recovered their lost gait in the comity of states and held their heads high in the larger Nigerian space.

But this was to be crudely interrupted when the erstwhile Jonathan regime exhumed Fayose and deployed every crude force and tactics it can retch up to impose him on the people once again during the farcical 2014 election. Fayose was not the choice of Ekiti people in that election and faced with the paradoxical case of a notorious ex-governor, defeating a preforming incumbent Governor that had stamped his imprimatur in various critical sectors of governance in four years, the PDP came up with the anomie of ‘stomach infrastructure’. In this quaint philosophy, the party said it was able to scoop victory by attending to the stomach needs of Ekiti people against a Fayemi that was building urable, life-changing infrastructures. As strange as this was, it was chorused by the party and its supporters who had no credible explanation to justify the electoral heist it carried out in Ekiti in 2014 and which is still ricocheting today as Fayose risks jail for the huge money the Jonathan government leveraged to his government to rig the election.

The stomach infrastructure cliché finished what was remaining of Ekiti values and as Fayose resumed as Ekiti governor, it played out in a governor that was outstanding for his nuisance values. For the four tortuous years he was in power, Ekiti people suffered the meretricious degradation of having a government that was prominent for negative values, truants and stunts. For a state with a hefty chunk of educated people, a governor that courts cheap street popularity by storming drinking joints, beer parlors, amala and gbegiri joints, selling fish and ponmo in the market was a huge aberration. Simply put, Fayose forced Ekiti to share in the vicarious wreckage he was as governor. While this parody lasted, Ekiti State, her people and her age-old values became butts of unending ribaldry and scorn. There was no escaping this humiliating downturn as the proud Ekiti man buckled under the weight of Fayose’s crass pranks to become objects of jest and scoffs The State became one huge reference case in anomie and what more, the huge fireballs of crime, violence, protests, unpaid wages and salaries that marked Fayose’s first term, came back in full swing and overwhelmed the state. The developmental strides Fayemi charted were halted and in their stead, reigned an era of masking and reveling on the streets in abject search for transient cheap plaudits and street acceptance.

It was therefore understandable why Fayemi was to anchor his comeback bid n reclaiming the values of Ekiti State and in this loaded statement of intent lies the rediscovery of the soul that had been battered and laid bare by pedestrian governance since 2010. In the cerebral thinker’s mind, Ekiti needed its values to take its place of pride in Nigeria for the values are the undergirds for its noble heights in education and human resources. His message resonated with the traumatized and serially abused Ekiti people who returned their votes for his re-election in October and since he came, Ekiti has harvested the fruits of the investment they made with their votes. 

The state has returned to its serene and orderly form. Workers have been paid the huge backlogs they were being owed, education has resumed in its rightful place as the number one priority of Ekiti state, health is receiving needed attention and infrastructural expansion has restarted. What more, the agricultural sector has been reflated and an expansive social scheme that targets the elderly, the weak and the vulnerable has resumed. These and many more have gone to rebuild the values the people cherish for ages and have lowered discontent in the state. Ekiti people have an idea of where they are and where they are heading and with such, the pride of the Ekiti people have been restored because the people feel proud with a governor that knows the needs, the priorities, the values and more of the state and how best to attend to them. The task of restoring what was damaged is great but it is a winnable battle as Fayemi has succeeded in little time to re-set governance to emphasise on what Ekiti holds dear and what gives the state its proud mien among states in Nigeria. There is no doubt that in the remaining parts of his government, Fayemi will succeed in etching back Ekiti to its hallowed place amongst Nigerians and he will surely succeed if he continues with the way he is going.

 

Peter Claver Oparah

Ikeja, Lagos.

E-mail: peterclaver2000@yahoo.com

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Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (SSS), has ascribed some of the security challenges in Nigeria to politicians's distrust of security officials.

Bichi was speaking Tuesday at a retreat for incoming governors organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

He said: “I joke with politicians that you people trust the marabouts and babalawos more. Once someone tells you nothing will happen to your seat and it happens, you just trust that person in all crisis." 

He said there was no lack of Intellegence in the country but rather a lack of will to act to combat the security challenges.

He noted a disconnect at the grassroots in intelligence gathering due to the disconnect between the formal and traditional leadership structures.

The SSS boss also lamented the disregard for security issues at the local government level, saying most local government chairmen do not hold security meetings to know what is happening in their localities.

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Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (SSS), has ascribed some of the security challenges in Nigeria to politicians's distrust of security officials.

Bichi was speaking Tuesday at a retreat for incoming governors organised by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

He said: “I joke with politicians that you people trust the marabouts and babalawos more. Once someone tells you nothing will happen to your seat and it happens, you just trust that person in all crisis." 

He said there was no lack of Intellegence in the country but rather a lack of will to act to combat the security challenges.

He noted a disconnect at the grassroots in intelligence gathering due to the disconnect between the formal and traditional leadership structures.

The SSS boss also lamented the disregard for security issues at the local government level, saying most local government chairmen do not hold security meetings to know what is happening in their localities.

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The release of innocent Nigerian detainee Zainab Aliyu from detention in Saudi Arabia was completed on Tuesday, after which the Maitama Sule University, Kano student posed with Nigerian officials before the cameras, as captured above.

The picture was taken in Jeddah, a Saudi Arabian port city and modern commercial hub and gateway for pilgrimages to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Zainab had been in detention since her arrest in December when a banned drug, tramadol, was found in her bag on arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Aliyu's continued detention sparked widespread sympathy all over the country, on the back of claims that she was innocent and only fell victim to a drug cartel at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, that specialises in keeping hard drugs in travellers’ bags.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the Nigerian government had succeeded in establishing her innocence, hence her freedom had been secured. 

Also, Ibrahim Abubakar, the second Nigerian implicated in the case, will be released to the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria, Northern State chapter, has congratulated the parents of Zainab Aliyu for their daughter’s release from Saudi Arabia detention.

However, it expressed concerns over the continued detention of Leah Sharibu.

Leah was among the 110 school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Dapchi, Yobe State in Febuary 2018. After a government negotiated release, Leah remians the only girl in capitvity from the incident on account of her christian faith.

On Tuesday, Rev. Joseph Hayab, Public Relations Officer of the Christian Associaton Of Nigeria, conveyed the church's position on her continued detention, saying: "CAN Northern states rejoices with the parents of Zainab Aliyu and the government of our country for securing her release after she was arrested and detained in Saudi Arabia for allegations of drug trafficking.

"It is sad that many innocent Nigerians are suffering for a crime they know nothing about. This prompt effort by government is commendable and should be sustained for all and in the future, because this is what we want to see from our leaders in this country.

“But as we rejoice about this development, we are also compelled to ask this important question: Are all Nigerians equal or some are more equal than others?

“We are aware that many innocent citizens of our country have been arrested, some killed and others are still in detention; but we have not heard any directives from Mr. President to his Attorney General to take action about them with this kind of urgency.

“If we want our citizens to be proud of their government and country, then we need to show equal concern about what happens to everyone in this country. We cannot also celebrate the release of Zainab and forget Leah Sharibu who did not commit any crime but has been in captivity for over a year now.

“We, therefore, appeal to President Buhari to direct his security agencies to double their efforts and get Leah released and reunited with her parents. Leah, too, wants to enjoy the protection of her leaders.”

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