Flowerbud News

Month: October 2023

  • Fayemi orders probe into killing of FUOYE students

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state has called on the state police Commissioner, Mr Amba Asuquo, to expose those behind the killing of two students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) during a protest.

    Fayemi, who made the call in a broadcast on Monday, said a Judicial Panel of Inquiry would be constituted to probe the incident, as demanded by student union bodies.

    He said the state government would compensate families of the dead as well as foot the bills of those injured.

    The governor also lauded the exoneration of his wife, Bisi, from cause of the deaths.

    He said it was wrong for anyone to terminate the lives of students holding a lawful protest over poor electricity supply to their campus.

    “I have in the last few days agonised over the incident that took place at FUOYE on Tuesday, Sept 10, 2019

    “Until the multiple investigations already set up are completed, I am necessarily constrained from talking about the details of what transpired

    “I however do not need to be constrained about the emotions a tragedy like this evokes

    “Any death is a tragedy. Any shooting arising from legitimate protests diminishes our fledgling democratic dispensation and calls to question, our commitment to fundamental human rights

    “Having heard from all parties to the incident, it is pertinent that I now personally convey my deeply felt sorrow for the loss of two promising young lives and for those who suffered injuries

    “Our government prides itself on its strict adherence to the rule of law. The right of citizens to protest on any issue relating to governmental actions or inactions is a fundamental component of our good governance agenda

    “We could not therefore under any circumstances, have directed that deadly force be used on any of our citizens freely expressing their right to protest

    “Even before the conclusion of the investigations into this matter, we have taken a number of steps; a high level government delegation has visited the families of the deceased

    “This will not be a one-off intervention. We will stand firmly with, and support the families at this time. Those persons with varying degrees of injuries will also be given support whilst their hospital expenses will be defrayed by government

    “I have directed the State Commissioner of Police to urgently commence an investigation into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate shooting incident with a view to identifying possible culprits within and outside the Force

    “Taken together with the ongoing investigation by the University management, we will consider the need for an independent panel of inquiry, if necessary once these fact finding investigations are concluded,” he said.

    The governor said he had suggested to police authorities to explore the use of non-lethal rubber bullets in managing public protests, vowing that the Nigerian Governors Forum would take this up at the highest level.

    “I note the initial public statement by the University authorities and its Students Union body. We welcome the conclusion that neither the wife of the Governor nor any Government official directed the shootings

    “Indeed it is obvious that the wife of the Governor and those on her entourage are victims of this unfortunate incident.

    “The issue that led to the protest has been the subject of intense disagreement and negotiations with BEDC since I became Governor

    “Only last week, my Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities was still in Benin to see BEDC management on the matter of inadequate and inconsistent supply of electricity in Ekiti State

    “Though Governors do not have any control over privatised power distribution companies, the four Governors from the states covered by the Benin DISCO have consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the services of BEDC and taken the matter up with the Vice President who chairs the Privatisation Council

    “In addition to this, I have been talking to the Rural Electrification Agency about including FUOYE in the next round of their University Electrification Project,” the governor said.

    He appealed for calm and caution as government awaited the reports of the various investigations, saying no persons or group should attempt to use the tragic incident to destabilise the peace and progress of the state. (NAN)

  • Chimamanda Adichie Honored In Germany On Her Birthday- With The Kassel Citizens’ “Prism Of Reason” Award

    (flowerbudnews) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie receives yet another award, the Kassel Citizens’ ” Prism of Reason” Award for “her vision of humanistic diversity”. According to the organizers, this prize is awarded to persons or institutions whose work serves the ideals of the Enlightenment by overcoming ideological barriers and promoting reason and tolerance towards dissenters.

    The award ceremony which takes place today, Sunday the 15th of September at the State Theater of Kassel in Germany – a day that happens to be Adichie’s birthday – is being given to her not only for her undeniable literary prowess, but also for her equality and justice advocacy.

    The “Prism of Reason” award was founded in 1990 by citizens of the city of Kassel and the region. So far, the prize has been awarded 28 times.

    The first prize-winner (in 1991) was the then German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher; he was honoured for his services to the opening of the Iron Curtain. Other awardees include Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei; Indian scientist and documenta 13 participant Vandana Shiva; Somali-born Dutch-American activist, Ayaan Hirsi Ali; Israeli diplomat, peace activist and publicist Avi Primor; and Peruvian farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya.

    This year, in the 29th year of the award, the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of the Society of Friends and Sponsors of the Kassel Citizens’ Prize have selected Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as the 2019 winner of the “Prism of Reason”. This makes her the first Nigerian to receive this remarkable prize.

    A statement made by the Kassel Board president Bernd Leifeld said “Combative but not fanatical, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie…points out ways to overcome outdated patterns which are deeply anchored in education and society”. He added that “Kassel citizens honour her with their Prize “The Prism of Reason 2019” because she believes in the social, political and economic equality of all people”.
    The prize consists of a certificate, a sculpture designed by the Kassel art professor and documenta artist Karl Oskar Blase with a prism (symbolising the analytical glass of the Enlightenment), and a cash prize of 10,000 EURO. The prize and the award ceremony are financed exclusively by membership fees and donations from citizens of the city and region of Kassel.

    It’s proving to be quite the birthday weekend for Adichie already. First with the announcement on Friday the 13th of September that HBO Max, a division of WarnerMedia Entertainment, is creating a straight-to-series order for the television adaptation of Adichie’s most recent novel “Americanah”. The 10-episode series will star Academy Award®? winner Lupita Nyong’o, with the pilot being written by screenwriter and actor Danai Gurira (who starred in the movie “Black Panther”)- and will be co-produced by Lupita Nyong’o and Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B.

    Adichie has also been trending non-stop on social media since Friday when a Twitter group of fans of the writer (@Chimamanda_Army) went viral to announce a competition to celebrate her birthday. Tagged #10ThingsAboutChimamanda, participants are encouraged to list 10 things about Adichie to stand the chance of winning fan-donated prizes, such as 10 collections of Chimamanda’s books, 10 pairs of movie tickets to watch a film of their choice at any Filmhouse cinema location; and 10 Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8 Tablets.

    According to the fans, the competition kicked off fully at 12am midnight Nigerian time/GMT (the start of her birthday, Sunday September 15th) and will run until 5pm Nigerian time/GMT of the same day. For those who want to join in, more details on the competition can be found on the fan page on Twitter: @Chimamanda_Army.

  • Khafi evicted from BBNaija, joins Gedoni

    Khafi evicted from BBNaija, joins Gedoni
    Khafi evicted from BBNaija, joins Gedoni

    Khafi Kareem has been evicted from the ongoing Big Brother Naija season four. The UK Metro police officer was evicted during the live show on Sunday.

    Khafi, who was put up in a strong competition with Tacha, Mike and Seyi, got on stage in her usual, bubbly demeanor.

    When the nomination reel was played for her, she told host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu that she was surprised Ike nominated her seeing as they both bonded in the house.

    On Thursday had revealed that he planted a condom by Khafi and her love interest, Gedoni to imply that they had sex.

    While both Khafi and Gedoni had denied that they had sex, they also insisted that their romantic feelings for each other were real.

    In the post eviction interview, Khafi said that she bonded with Gedoni in the first week because they were both up for eviction.

    She told Ebuka that she believes he loves her as much she loves him, adding that she was a forlorn lover when he was evicted.

    She announced that she would be moving to Lagos from London and plans to go into acting and presenting.

    During her stint in the house, Khafi was Head of House, won one million Naira and part of Team Lagos and a car.

    Ebuka announced that there will be no eviction next week, although the veto power of chance task will still hold.

  • Gov. Umahi Appoints 180 Additional Aides

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has approved the appointment of 180 additional aides to serve as Executive Assistants (EA) as Executive Assistant and Senior technical Assistant (STA).

    Mr Clement Nweke, Principal Secretary to the governor  in a statement in Abakaliki, directed the appointees, which include two former members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, EBSHA, and ex-deputy speaker, Mrs Dorothy Obasi, to report for their documentation on Monday.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the appointed executive assistants include: Mr Chidiebere Egwu, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South East Zonal Youth Leader and Mr Igberi Nweme, former Charmian of Ikwo Local Government Area among others.

    The appointees into the STA position include: retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Kelvin Opoke and Stephen Orogwu, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    Others are: Mr Maxwell Umahi, state Vice Chairman of PDP, Mrs Dorathy Obasi, former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Oliver Nwachukwu, former member of the state House of assembly among others.

    The new appointees into the technical assistant position include: Chief John-Williams Nwode- former LGA Development Centre Coordinator, Nnannna Nwangele and Nkem Madu, prominent Youth leaders in the state among others.

    Umahi had on Aug. 6, Gov. Umahi said that he will no longer appoint more aides, with the members of the state Executive Council increasing from 70 to 83. (

  • Brexit clash over share trading would hit markets – UK watchdog

    Overlapping British and EU share trading rules would damage markets “to no good end” and can be avoided, Britain’s top markets watchdog said on Monday.
    Britain is due to leave the EU on Oct. 31, but has yet to agree a divorce settlement with the bloc.
    Brussels has said that if there is a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, investment firms in the bloc must trade euro-denominated shares in the EU; many are currently heavily traded in London.
    Financial Conduct Authority CEO Andrew Bailey said some of this overlap must be avoided.
    “It is, therefore, easy to conclude that for those shares, market liquidity would be damaged to no good end,” Bailey said in a speech at Bloomberg.
    He reiterated comments from the Bank of England that extensive preparations for a no-deal Brexit would not mean that all disruption in markets can be avoided.
    Brussels has said that EU customers could continue using clearing houses for derivatives in London until March next year, if there is a no-deal Brexit.
    This date has reflected Britain’s original plan to leave the EU last March. Bailey said Brussels would need to grant an extension soon if there is a no-deal Brexit.
    There is no reason to “sacrifice open financial markets and many reasons to preserve them,’’ Bailey said.

  • Tricycle riders want FCTA’s support to grow transport sector

    The National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAS), FCT chapter, has called for more government support to boost transport system in the teritory.

    Mr Musa Ibrahim, the FCT Chairman of the association in an interview in Abuja, said its members plays significant roles in urban and rural transportation.

    He said the support of the FCT administration would enable its task force to collaborate with the various government agencies to maintain sanity on the road.

    “One of the major challenge we are having is the FCT administration’s inability to build us into their transportation plan.

    “More often than not, we have clashes with government agencies responsible for regulating transportation activities.

    “If government can get our officials, build the keke means of transportation into their plan, identify to us the route operators should ply, this will help.

    “The government needs the association to help checkmate the excesses of the operators and this can be achieved by giving some kind of support to the task force the association have created,” Ibrahim said.

    According to Ibrahim, if the association’s task force is supported by government, it will “have enough teeth to bite rather than just barking.”

    He said one of the ways the government could support the association was to provide vehicles to assist its task force monitor members on the roads.

    Ibrahim also urged the administration to support the association’s effort in the training of its members and to ensure its security application was implemented.

    The association is working on an application which would be inserted in the mobile phones of the tricyle riders.

    The application would enable the monitoring of the members within the FCT and its environs to reduce recklessness on the road.

  • Ramaphosa sends envoys to Nigeria, other African countries over xenophobic attacks

    President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has dispatched three special envoys to seven African countries to deliver messages of pan-African unity and solidarity following xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the Presidency said on Sunday.

    The special envoys will deliver a message from Ramaphosa regarding the incidents of violence that recently erupted in some parts of South Africa, which have manifested in attacks on foreign nationals and destruction of property, presidential spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said.

    The envoys will reassure fellow African countries that South Africa is committed to the ideals of pan-African unity and solidarity, Diko said.

    They will also reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law.

    The envoys will visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, according to Diko.

    They will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account.

    South Africa has been hit by a new spate of violence for the past few weeks.

    At least 12 people, including 10 South Africans and two foreigners, have been killed.

    South Africa is host to some 274,000 refugees and asylum-seekers from African countries, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Xenophobia-related attacks are common in South Africa, where foreigners are blamed for taking up employment that should have been taken by locals.

  • Buhari salutes Etsu Nupe on 16th anniversary on throne, 67th birthday

    President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with government and people of Niger, sons and daughters of Nupe Kingdom as the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, marks 16 years on the throne, and celebrates 67th birthday.

    The president’s congratulatory message is communicated via a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday.

    The President rejoiced with all family members of the royal house, friends and associates of the traditional ruler, whose legacy of hard work, discipline and honesty in public service continues to resonate.

    He extolled the nobility, maturity and visionary leadership of the Etsu Nupe “as he sits on the throne of his fathers, upholding the historically strong culture and arts of the people and maintaining peace and good neighbourliness with other traditional stools and cultures.’’

    As Chairman of the State Traditional Council, the President affirms that the culture of acceptance that pervades the state and the versatility in promoting communal living, entrepreneurship, agriculture and education deserves commendation.

    President Buhari prayed that the almighty God would grant Etsu Nupe “longer life, more peaceful years on the throne and wisdom to keep guiding his people in the right direction.’’

    NAN

  • Sports Ministry to camp discovered NYG athletes for nurturing, Minister says

    Youths and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare, on Sunday said the ministry was planning to have a camping system to nurture athletes discovered at the ongoing 5th National Youth Games (NYG).

    Dare told newsmen in Ilorin after addressing some of the discovered athletes that the ministry would go beyond handing the athletes over to the national sports federations for follow-up.

    He assured that there would be a renaissance in grassroots sports development.

    “We are going to have some kind of rennaisance when it comes to grassroots development and that is at the local government and the state leveld.

    “What we are planning to do at the ministry is to hand over the discovered athletes to the different federations.

    “The work of the federations is to develop these talents further and nurture them.

    “But, we will be going beyond sending them to the federations, as we want to involve a camping system where we will be able to monitor them and nurture them into sports professionals,” Dare said.

    He added that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was ready to apply the same political will and spirit into sports to address the lingering challenges.

    “Presently in the country we are facing challenges in terms of resources and its management, but the present administration is ready to direct the will in other sectors into sports.

    “Also, we will be concentrating on the management, upgrade and maintenance of facilities,”  Dare said.

    The minister added that the federal sports ministry would help each state surmount its challenges in sports.

    “Even though it is the responsibility of every state to develop sports, but I understand from my interaction with the Directors of Sports that states are facing challenges.

    “I will present their case to the National Executive Council (NEC) and, as a follow-up, I will seek appointment with the state governors to present the pertinent issues raised by the Directors where help is needed.

    “We will also hold a large meeting with the Directors to compare notes and learn how other states are doing better.

    “Also, we want each state to bring forth a coach and submit same to the ministry,and the ministry would train them occasionally.

    “This is because part of our challenges is the technical depth of our coaches, which we need to improve upon,” Dare said.

    NAN