Flowerbud News

Month: April 2024

  • Naira: Better Days Ahead, Predicts Goldman Sachs, Global Currency Analyst

    Naira: Better Days Ahead, Predicts Goldman Sachs, Global Currency Analyst

     

    Commends Tinubu’s ACE team

     

    lFowerbudnews

    Nigeria’s naira is poised to extend its gains, having already established itself as the top performer globally this month, according to a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. economist, contingent on continuing effective policy management.

    In April alone, the naira surged 12% against the dollar, adding to a 1% increase in March. This rally is supported by capital inflows and consecutive interest rate hikes, helping to recover from significant losses following two devaluations since last June, triggered by the government easing currency controls.

    Goldman Sachs economists, who previously forecasted in February that the naira would strengthen to 1,200 per dollar in 2024, now anticipate it could surpass this level due to aggressive measures by the central bank, including a total of 600 basis points in interest rate increases during policy meetings in February and March.

    These initiatives have alleviated the local dollar shortage, reducing volatility and the reliance on parallel markets.

    Andrew Matheny of Goldman Sachs notes, “This trend likely has further to run; we could see it reach 1,000 or even dip below,” highlighting the promising six weeks since their initial prediction, which has seen sustained policy efforts.

    President Tinubu’s bold leadership and decisive reforms have birthed this economic resurgence.

    Since taking office in May, Tinubu and his ACE team of Adedeji, Cardoso and Edun have implemented significant changes, including eliminating fuel subsidies, to revitalise Nigeria’s economic landscape.

    These reforms have laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth and stability, showcasing President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing long-standing economic challenges and steering Nigeria towards a prosperous future. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Let Us Unite to Make Nigeria Greater , Tinubu Urges Governors, NASS Leadership 

    Let Us Unite to Make Nigeria Greater , Tinubu Urges Governors, NASS Leadership 

     

     

    By Flowerbudnews
    President Bola Tinubu has called for unity of purpose and more collaboration between the federal government, state governors, and members of the National Assembly to achieve national development goals.

    The President made the appeal while receiving state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly in Lagos on Friday, Ajuri Ngelale( SA Media and Publicity disclosed in a statement.

    Led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the delegation included Senate President Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, among others.

    Speaking on behalf of the President, Vice-President Shettima expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic resurgence and called for collective efforts to propel the nation forward.

    He urged unity and collaboration among all stakeholders to achieve shared prosperity and promised a brighter future for the nation under President Tinubu’s guidance.

    “Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal,” Vice-President Shettima said.

    Emphasizing President Tinubu’s role as a unifying leader transcending ethnic and religious lines, the Vice-President noted that the gathering of 27 governors in Lagos, along with the leadership of the National Assembly and some former governors, bears the testimony of a detribalized leader who has embraced all.

    ”This gathering cuts across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Here, we have Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom and Father Hyacinth of Benue, and as the President was seated, he was asking, ‘Where is Wammako, where is Yari’? That is the hallmark of true leadership. What binds us together supercedes whatever it is that may divide us.”

    ”The future of the black man rests on Nigeria to make or mar. Our economy has turned the corner. By the coming months, the economy will roar back to glory,” the Vice-President said.

    Senate President Akpabio commended the state governors for emulating President Tinubu’s leadership style, characterized by listening to diverse voices and consulting widely with the people, irrespective of political affiliations.

    “The governors are doing well. I can say so because I have been there before,” Senator Akpabio said.

    Expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, Akpabio noted that the President enjoys the broad support of Nigerians across political divides.

    “As you coast home to victory for a second term, may all the governors seated here also coast home to a second term victory in their states,” Senate President Akpabio prayed. (Flowerbudnews)

    –

  • US is canceling $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers.

    (Culled from 1440 Daily Digest)

    By Aimee Picchi

    Edited By Alain Sherter

    The Biden administration on Friday said it’s canceling $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers, with the recipients scheduled to receive emails today to alert them to their loan discharges.The latest effort extends the debt relief provider under President Joe Biden after the Supreme Court last year blocked his administration’s plan for broad-based student loan forgiveness. With the latest batch of loan cancellations, the White House said it has forgiven about $153 billion in debt for 4.3 million student borrowers.
    Biden, who had made student loan relief a major campaign pledge, is tackling an issue that affects about 43 million Americans with a combined  $1.7 trillion in student debt. It’s a burden that some borrowers and their advocates say has harmed their ability to save for a home or achieve financial milestones, an issue that was echoed by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona in a conference call with reporters.

    “I talked to a teacher in New York this week who took out a loan for $30,000,” Cardona said Friday, “and after over a decade of paying and being a teacher the debt was $60,000, and she was saying that the interest was so high that the payments that she was making wasn’t even touching her principal.”

    He added, “We are fixing a broken system. We’re relentless and taking steps to transform a broken system into one that works people across the country.”

    Here’s what to know about who is eligible for the latest round of forgiveness.

    Who qualifies for the student loan forgiveness?

    Three groups of people qualify under the latest round of debt relief, the White House said.

    • $3.6 billion for 206,800 borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan.

    About $3.6 billion will be forgiven for nearly 207,000 borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, an income-driven repayment program, or IDR, that the Biden administration created last year.

    The White House said borrowers who are getting their debt discharged under SAVE had taken out smaller loans for their college studies. The plan allows people to receive forgiveness after they made at least 10 years of payments if they originally took out $12,000 or less in loans to pay for college; borrowers with larger loans are eligible after 20 or 25 years of repayment, depending on what types of loans they have.

    “You sacrifice and you’ve saved for a decade or more to make your student loan payments, and you originally borrowed $12,000 or less, you’re going to see relief,” Cardona told reporters. “An overwhelming number of those who qualify for SAVE were eligible for Pell grants and come from low- and middle-income communities.”

    • $3.5 billion for 65,700 borrowers in income-repayment plans.

    These borrowers will receive forgiveness through “administrative adjustments” to repayment plans where loan servicers had made it tougher for some borrowers to qualify for relief.

    “These are people who paid for a long time but were being deprived of relief because of administrative and servicing failures,” Cardona said. “These people met the contract of their loan” and will receive forgiveness.

    • $300 million for 4,600 borrowers through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

    The PSLF program is designed to help public servants like teachers and government employees achieve debt forgiveness after 10 years of repayment. It’s a program that started in 2007 but had been plagued with complex rules that effectively hampered people from getting their debt discharged, with only 7,000 receiving loan forgiveness prior to the Biden administration.

    With the latest round of discharges, the Biden administration has forgiven $62.8 billion in loans for 876,000 borrowers through PSLF.

    Are there legal challenges to Biden’s debt forgiveness plans?

    In two separate lawsuits, Republican attorneys general in 18 states are pushing to have the SAVE plan tossed and to halt any further student debt cancellation. They say the SAVE plan oversteps Biden’s authority and makes it harder for states to recruit employees. They also contend the plan undermines a separate cancellation program that encourages careers in public service.

    It’s unclear what the suits could mean for loans that have already been canceled. A court document filed by Kansas’ attorney general says it’s “unrealistic to think that any loan forgiveness that occurs during this litigation will ever be clawed back.”

    —With reporting by the Associated Press.

    Aimee Picchi

    Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

  • SON carries out market surveillance to ascertain quality of products

    SON carries out market surveillance to ascertain quality of products

     

    By Flowerbudnews
    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it is carrying out regular market surveillance to ascertain quality and gather data on products’ performances in the markets.

     

    The Direction General of the organisation, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, made the disclosure during SON Special Day at the ongoing 35th Enugu International Trade Fair.

     

    Okeke said that Enugu International Trade Fair offers great opportunities to reach out to Nigerian and Foreign manufacturers and other businesses on the activities and the impact SON was creating in the growth of businesses in Nigeria, particularly the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    The Director-General, however, said that MSMEs contribute to 48 per cent of the Nation’s GDP, account for 96 per cent of businesses and 84 per cent of employment with a total number of about 17.4 million.

     

    Okeke hinted that the sector had played significant roles in the growth, development and industrialisation of the country, adding that SON ensures that MSMEs and other relevant stakeholders were involved in standards development process through inclusion in Technical Committees for elaborating standards.

     

    He said that the theme of the fair, “Promoting Made in Nigeria Products for Competitiveness” in the emerging global market, was timely, especially with the Standards harmonisation programme in Africa under the African Regional Organization for Standardisation (ARSO).

    The Director-General said that the impact of the establishment of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in connecting businesses cannot be overemphasised as it would boost intra-Africa trade.

     

    “We carry out regular market surveillance to ascertain quality and gather data on products performance in the markets.

     

    “Our ultra-modern National Metrology Institute (NMI) in Enugu is a testimony that Nigerian products are ready for global competitiveness.

     

    “Some parameters being tested in SON Laboratories are accredited, which implies that result of products tested are acceptable anywhere in the world, this eliminates fear of rejection and encourages exports,” he said.

     

    Okeke urged all manufacturers and producers, including importers and exporters, to take advantage of their services to better their businesses as they would not hesitate to use law against any person or group of persons found sabotaging the efforts of the Organization.

     

    In his remarks, the Enugu State Coordinator of SON, Mr Peter Ameh, said that trade fair offers opportunities to reach out to Nigerians and Foreign manufacturers, importers, exporters, dealers and service providers on the activities of the SON and its impact on growth of businesses in Nigeria.

     

    Ameh said that the primary role of the organization was to increase local revenue sources and focus on the international market through promotion of made in Nigeria products and services.

     

    “SON has put in place lots of strategies and initiatives to foster rapid economic development through the elaboration of standards in the various sectors of the economy such as Agriculture, Technology, Health, Industry, Tourism & Hospitality, Oil and Gas amongst others” he said.

     

    He said that sensitisation and collaborative meetings with critical stakeholders across the country was another way of impacting the culture of standardisation in the various sectors by promoting voluntary certification of products for local consumption and improvement.

     

    Earlier, in a welcome address, the President of the Chamber, Chief Odeiga Jideonwo, lauded SON for enlightening them on the activities and operations of SON.

     

    Jideonwo, represented by the first Deputy President of the Chamber, Mr Nnanyereugo Onyemelukwe, explained that SON regulates and ensure that products/goods are produced to the product authentication mark.

     

    He said that the special day offers them the opportunity to interact and exchange views between the officials of SON and the public as it would go a long way to clarify and enlightened the public.

  • Alleged $4.5bn, N2.8bn Fraud: EFCC Presents First Witness against Emefiele, One Other 

    Alleged $4.5bn, N2.8bn Fraud: EFCC Presents First Witness against Emefiele, One Other 

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, April 12, 2024, presented its first prosecution witness, PW1, Monday Osazuwa, a Senior Supervisor with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in the trial of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele and one Henry Omeile.

     

    Emefiele and  Omoile were arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC on Monday, April 8, 2024, on an amended 26-count charge bordering on alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud, a statement by EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale disclosed.

    The former CBN Governor was specifically mentioned in counts one to four as well as  counts eight to 26 bordering on alleged abuse of office, contrary and punishable under Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; accepting gratification, contrary and punishable under Section 8 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; corrupt demand, contrary and punishable under Section 10 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; receiving property fraudulently obtained, contrary to and punishable under Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; and conferring corrupt advantage, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

    Omoile was mentioned in counts five, six and seven bordering on acceptance of gifts by agents, contrary to Section 65 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

    One of the counts reads: “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

    They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.

     

    At the resumed sitting on Friday,  Osazuwa, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, testified that he knew Emefiele from his time at Zenith Bank before becoming the CBN Governor.

     

    The PW1 said: “I worked with him from 2002 to 2014 at Zenith Bank; and then, 2014 to 2023 at the CBN.”

     

    In his examination-in-chief, he also testified that “ I also ran errands for him.

     

    “Sometime in 2020, he called me, while he was outside of Lagos, that he would give me a number to call and that I had something to collect for him.

     

    “The person confirmed the same and gave me another number that it was his boy who would give me.”

     

    He identified the first person as Mohit, who gave him the number of his boy, whom he identified as Mr. Raja.

     

    Continuing, he said : “So, I got there at Adeola Odeku and he welcomed me. I sat down and waited, as he brought the thing and gave me an envelope.

     

    “I said “What is in it?” , and Raja brought it out and counted it. Then, I sealed it back.”

     

    He further testified that the envelope contained $100,000 and that Emefiele was not around at the time.

     

    “So, he instructed me to give it to the second defendant for him.

     

    “That was not the end, as after a few weeks’ interval,  he said I should call Mohit, if he had anything.

     

    “Then, again ,I collected the money and they were not the same amount.

     

    “The first defendant said I should be finding out every Friday from Mohit if he had anything to give him.”

     

    He also testified that he was sometimes instructed by Emefiele to deposit cheques in the account of Dumies Oil and Gas.

     

    According to him, the second defendant resides in Emefiele’s  house in Ikoyi, Lagos.

     

    He said: “The highest money I collected from Mr. Raja was $1 million, and all the money was in cash.

     

    “There was also $850,000, $750,000, and $400,000.

     

    “I never took anything out of the money. He trusts me. He never said to me that I should take out of it.”

     

    Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, A. Labi-Lawal, he reiterated that he only acted on the instruction of Emefiele.

     

    Earlier in the proceedings, the Judge granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N50 million, with two sureties in like sum.

     

    The sureties must be within the jurisdiction of the court, with evidence of three years tax payment in Lagos.

     

    The second defendant, Omoile, was also granted bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum.

     

    The sureties must be blood relations of the defendant, with evidence of three years tax payment.

     

    In granting him bail, the court adopted the bail earlier granted to the defendant by Justice Sule Hamzat.

     

    “The bail documents must be transmitted to this court,” Justice Oshodi added.

     

    Labi-Lawal then applied for an interim bail, releasing the first defendant to the defence, pending perfection of the bail.

     

    Oyedepo prayed the court for accelerated hearing, and for “in camera” proceedings for the first to seventh witnesses, “because of their safety”.

     

    Responding, Labi-Lawal raised no objections to the prosecutor’s prayer for accelerated hearing, but raised objections to the prayer for in camera proceedings for the said witnesses.

     

    “The prosecution has not substantiated their claim, and so we want a formal application,” Labi-Lawal said.

     

    However, Oyedepo, argued that: “All we want is the protection of these witnesses, and I believe justice is what we are supposed to be seeking”.

     

    Thereafter, Justice Oshodi granted the prayer for accelerated hearing and ordered that a formal application for closed door session of proceedings be filed.

     

    “I adjourn the hearing of this application till April 29, 2024 and I direct that the hearing will be in closed session,” he said.

     

    Granting the prayer of the defence for interim bail, Justice Oshodi further ordered that the defence counsel should file an undertaking to produce the defendant on the next date.

     

    “The first defendant will be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the undertaking by the defence counsel, which I must see,” Justice Oshodi said.

     

    Oyedepo then told the court that a witness of the prosecution was in court and “we are ready to proceed in open court.”

     

    The defence, however, argued that it was not prepared for commencement of trial.

     

    He further argued that he was yet to have access to his client to go through the proof of evidence and the allegations, as Emefiele had been in the custody of the EFCC.

     

    Justice Oshodi, however, held that the court had, on April 8, 2024, adjourned for trial, and so “request by the defence counsel is refused.”

    He also adjourned  the matter till April 29, May 3, 9 and 17, 2024 for continuation of trial. (Flowerbudnews)

     

     

  • Fair: Ebonyi Govt woos investors with enabling business environment

    Fair: Ebonyi Govt woos investors with enabling business environment

     

    By Flowerbudnews
    The Ebonyi State Government has wooed investors to the state with an enticing enabling business environment that guarantees profitability and business growth.

    Chief Oguzorkanu Offia-Nwali, state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Business Development, highlighted what the state was offering would-be investors during the Ebonyi State Special Day at the ongoing 35th Enugu International Trade Fair.

    The fair, which began on April 5, is themed: “Promoting made-in-Nigeria products for global competitiveness.”


    Offia-Nwali said that the serene business environment, which had been luring investors into the state, included the government commitment to providing access good road, electricity and even water to production sites of genuine investors.

    He said: “The business environment in the state is so serene that investors troop in to discuss establishment of multinational industries in various economic sectors.

    “As a government we do not joke with genuine and serious investors as we provide virtually everything to make them comfortable and kick-off production of goods and services without hitches.”


    Offia-Nwali said that the state government had made an impact in trade, investment, human capital development, health, water and sanitation, energy and others through public reforms.

    He noted a conducive environment has been created for businesses and Ebonyi State building material market is undergoing total revitalisation .

    The commissioner added that the Ebonyi Pipe Industry that stopped production for over 10 years was revitalised, workers salaries were increased and 1,500 youths were recently employed in the state civil service.


    “On pensioners, arrears of gratuities and death benefits from 2009-2022 have been paid fully.

    “On education, post graduate students (Masters and Ph.D Accounting and Aeronautic Engineering) were offered scholarships to study abroad, while Law students were sponsored to law school with N350,000 each.

    “Over 1000 students were also awarded scholarships to pursue Masters programmes in Nigeria. Non indigenes were also awarded educational scholarships as well,” he said.

    The commissioner noted that Ebonyi State came to the fair well-prepared with a lot of locally produced goods to showcase, which included: Ebonyi pipe, famous Ebonyi rice, palm oil, cassava and fertilizer among others.

    Earlier, President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Chief Odeiga Jideonwo, called on investors, both local and foreign, to prospect Ebonyi State for business opportunities.

    “Ebonyi is blessed with many solid minerals and arable land for agriculture and agro-allied industries,” Jideonwo said.

    According to him, since the inception of Ebonyi State, she has produced visionary leaders who have elevated the bar of leadership of the state to a higher level and for this reason, investors should help to advance Ebonyi further.

    “We doff our heart for this great state of Ebonyi and we are calling on investors both foreign and local to prospect Ebonyi State for investment.

     

    “There is no doubt that the state is blessed with many solid minerals and arable land for agriculture and agro-allied industries,” he said.

  • S’Africa tremble ahead of crucial World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria

    S’Africa tremble ahead of crucial World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    Exactly four months after they were bumped and relegated to the third-place match of the Africa Cup of Nations by the Super Eagles, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will come up against the three-time African champions again in a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying match in Uyo.

     

    The Super Falcons om Tuesday pushed the Banyana Banyana, reigning African champions, off the bus to this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament by winning the ticket their ensured first appearance at the glamour tournament for the first time in 16 years.

     

    The assured manner of Nigeria’s victories in the two fixtures have left the hierarchy of South African football flummoxed, and there is no adequate time to recover or rejig strategies before the Bafana Bafana come up against the Super Eagles in a Day 3 encounter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, 7th June.

     

    With two points from their previous two matches, but aware of the hold they have over the Bafana Bafana, the African vice champions are confident of the three points on the day, which could see them fly to the top of the pool.

     

    It was on 7th February at the Stade de la Paix, Bouake that the Super Eagles kicked Bafana to the third-place match of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations. Despite achieving parity late in the game, the Bafana were cut to size during the penalty shootout with Nigeria’s South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saving two of the kicks by the Bafana.

     

    South Africans’ boasts of bouncing the Super Falcons in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament fixture in revenge, ended belly-up with the Banyana failing to score a goal in 180 minutes of action, with the two teams separated by Rasheedat Ajibade’s goal from the penalty spot in Abuja on Friday, 5th April.

     

    Despite being a point ahead of the Super Eagles in their World Cup qualifying group, the Bafana will fall behind once they submit to the superior strength, skill and savvy of the Super Eagles on another Friday in June.

     

    It can be recalled that when the two teams also met at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, at the quarter-final stage, Nigeria triumphed 2-1 in Cairo.

     

    Players of the Super Eagles are already getting in the mood to deliver the big punches to Bafana in Uyo in a few weeks’ time.

     

    Only on Thursday night, top striker Victor Boniface returned from the injury that kept him out of the AFCON, by coming off the bench to score in Bayer Leverkusen’s Europa League quarter-final duel with West Ham of England.

     

    African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen has also been unable to stop scoring for his Italian Serie A side, SC Napoli.

     

    Goalkeeper Nwabali remains in awesome shape, and midfielder Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman shone brightly in the defeat of Ghana in a friendly in Morocco last month.

     

    2024 Federation Cup: Play-Off Results

     

    . Classic FC (Adamawa) 0 Gamji Eaglets (Taraba) 0 – Gamji Eaglets triumph 5-4 after penalties

    . Warinje FC (Bauchi) 0 Simon Ben Academy (Kaduna) 0 – Warinje FC triumph 3-2 after penalties

    . Zamfara United Feeders (Zamfara) 1 PRO Line (Kano) 1 – Zamfara Feeders triumph 5-4 after penalties

    . Ine Stars (Edo) 2 Crusaders FC (Bayelsa) 0

    . KC FC (Kogi) 2 PCM FC (Ebonyi) 3

    . Flight FC (Benue) 1 Fr. Eburuaja (Imo) 2

     

    . Gamji Eaglets, Warinje FC, Zamfara United Feeders, Ine Stars, PCM FC and Fr. Eburuaja qualify for the Round of 64. (Flowerbudnews)

  • Owowoh Becomes First Nigerian Female Officer to Graduate from UK’s Sandhurst

    Owowoh Becomes First Nigerian Female Officer to Graduate from UK’s Sandhurst

     

    By Flowerbudnews

    (Flowerbudnews):  Owowoh Princess Oluchukwi has become the first-ever Nigerian female officer to graduate from the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).

    24-year-old Officer Cadet Princess was one of the 135 Officer Cadets to graduate during RMAS’ Sovereign’s Parade on Friday in London.

    The parade marked the completion of 44 weeks of intensive training for the Officer Cadets of Commissioning Course 232.

    At the ceremony, His Majesty King Charles was represented by the head of the French Army, Général d’armée Pierre SchilI, Chief of the Army Staff.

    Since the 1950s, several Nigerian officers including former Nigerian President Yakubu Gowon and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye have become RMAS alumni. Princess’ graduation as the first female and 190th Nigerian graduate, marks a significant milestone in UK’s long-standing commitment to supporting Nigeria’s Professional Military Education training.

    This commitment to close UK-Nigerian cooperation was affirmed during the recent UK- Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership talks held in February 2024.

    In 2018, Princess joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in Kaduna State, Nigeria. During her second year at the NDA, she was appointed a Cadet Lance Corporal; a Cadet Sergeant in her fourth year and in her fifth year she was appointed to the role of Company Senior Under Officer Charlie (CSUO C).

    She held this appointment with two other female counterparts and made history as the first females to assume the position of CSUO in the academy.

    In her fourth year, she completed the Academics Wing of the commissioning course and achieved first class honours in Biological Sciences.

    Speaking of her achievement, Officer Cadet Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu said:

    “ *It is a profound honour to be the first Nigerian female officer to commission from the esteemed Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

    This achievement is not mine alone, but a testament to the unwavering support of my family, mentors, instructors, and countless individuals who believed in me every step of the way. As I look ahead to the future, I am committed to representing Nigeria with pride, and to making a positive difference in the world.”

    The UK is proud to celebrate this historic occasion with Nigeria and congratulates newly Commissioned Officer Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu on her remarkable achievement. (Flowerbudnews)

    1. (Source: British High Commission Abuja).
  • Onu believed in party supremacy, collective aspirations, selfless service – APC Chieftain

    Onu believed in party supremacy, collective aspirations, selfless service – APC Chieftain

     

    By Flowerbudnews
    Chief Hycienth Ngwu, a stalwart of All Progressives Congress (APC) in South-East, says former Governor of old Abia, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, believed in party supremacy, supremacy of collective aspirations and selfless service.

    Ngwu, a former South-East Publicity Secretary of the ruling APC, said this in a condolence message issued to newsmen in Enugu on Friday.

    It would be recalled that the late Onu served as the first civilian governor of Old Abia State, before the creation of Ebonyi.


    He passed away on Thursday morning, April 12, 2024, after battling an undisclosed illness.

    Ngwu, who is a foundation member of the APC, said that Onu lived a simple life and made sure he practiced what he preached.

    He said: “It was indeed a devastating and heartbreaking news to learn of the passing on to the higher levels of one of the most consistent and pragmatic Igbo politicians.


    “Onu, apart from being former Governor of Abia State, Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was also a National Chairman of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), an APC National leader, and a Presidential Aspirant.

    “Throughout his political career, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu remained consistent in his belief of party supremacy, supremacy of collective aspirations and selfless service to all and sundry.”

    The APC chieftain called on Nigerian to celebrate his lofty ideals, “while we mourn his demise”.

    “And in so doing, pray that the living should learn from his lifestyle and selfless service to humanity.

    “We have lost a true Nigerian,” he said.

    Onu also served as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration from 2015 to 2023.