Category: General News

Google on Sunday celebrated Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta with its Doodle on what would have been her 75th birthday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements and notable historical figures.

“Born to Igbo parents in the Lagos suburb of Yaba on this day in 1944, Florence Onyebuchi (Buchi) Emecheta, moved to the U.K. in 1962, with her husband and first two children.

“She had another two, and, at the age of 22, pregnant with a fifth, left her husband and set off on her own.

“She supported her five children by working at a library, pursued her Sociology degree, all while working tirelessly on her novels— usually at the kitchen table as her children played,” it said.

Her son Sylvester Onwordi recalled that as an immigrant single mother battling poverty in the slums of 1960s London, she would draw her five small children around her, light candles, and delight them with what she called her “Moonlight tales”.

He said that according to her mother, the stories were what she had learned at twilight by the light of a hurricane lamp from her aunts in the village, or imbibed at her father’s knee during her family’s internal exile in Lagos.

For the young Nigerian girl who dreamed even then of being a writer, these tales were like umbilical threads connecting the lonely orphan she became with the lost world of mythical ancestors and her beloved home town of Ibusa.

Over the course of her life, Emecheta published 16 novels, including: “In The Ditch, Second-Class Citizen”, and “Slave Girl”, as well as her 1986 autobiography, “Head Above Water” and wrote several plays for stage, TV and radio.

Although she resisted labeling herself a “feminist” author, much of Emecheta’s writing addressed issues of gender and race.

“I work toward the liberation of women. My books are about survival, just like my own life,” she was quoted to have said.

During the 1970s and ’80s, she worked as a lecturer and founded the Ogwugwu Afor Publishing Company with her son. She was named an Officer of the British Empire in 2005, a remarkable accomplishment for someone who faced such adversity.

“Just keep trying and trying, if you have the determination and commitment, you will succeed,” Emecheta once said.

Emecheta suffered a stroke in 2010, and she died in London on Jan. 25, 2017, aged 72. (NAN)

Popular Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw says she is happy celebrating her 48th birthday having been blessed beyond measure.

Henshaw who took to her Instagram page to appreciate friends and family members who have stood by her all the time thanked God for her career.

“I love my life; I am blessed beyond measure. I am grace personified.. I am grateful for my family and very lovely friends.

“I am grateful for my career that has brought me so much happiness and connections to do much more for those I come in contact with; I am thankful for another year.”

Click the video below to see Henshaw dancing in a recent post to celebrate her birthday

Bandits commanders in Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara, on Friday agreed to suspend attacks on the people at a dialogue meeting with the state government and security officials.

The bandits also said that the coast is now clear for all those displaced by the attacks to return home.

Agency report said the agreement was reached at the palace of the Emir of Birnin-Magaji.

Present at the meeting were the state Commissioner of Police, bandits commanders, leaders of Fulani, Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes known as “Yansakai”.

The meeting, chaired by Police Commissioner Usman Nagogo, was also attended by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Abubakar Dauran and National leaders of Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

The bandits’ commanders at the meeting were: Ardo Nashawari, Audu Karki and Muhammad Bello, while the leaders of civilian JTF and vigilantes were Garba Nasarawa-Godal and Shuaibu Aliyu.

Speaking on behalf of the bandits, Mr. Nashawari, said with the suspension of the attacks, farmers were now free to return to their farms and other residents free to go about their normal businesses.

Mr. Nashawari added, “We believe with this dialogue, the Fulani can now go to markets, they can move freely without any hitch.”

The Civilian JTF leader, Shuaibu Aliyu, urged the government to ensure immediate disarming of the bandits.

“On behalf of the entire members of Civilian JTF and Vigilance Group Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area, we commend the state government for this dialogue, we abide by it,” he said.

On his part, the commissioner of police described the meeting as “fruitful” and restated the commitment of the command to rid the state of banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.

“We are impressed with the comments of the warring factions, both of them have accepted the dialogue”, Mr. Nagogo said.

The National President of MACBAN, Ardo Kiruwa, described the dialogue as “succeeding”, noting that most of the markets that were hitherto closed due to insecurity, have been opened.

“We were told that the Fulani were seen in Shinkafi market yesterday”, he added.

Mr. Kiruwa called on the Fulani to cooperate with government and security agencies in order to maintain peace and stability in the state.

Also, the special adviser on security Mr. Dauran, thanked the people of the state for their support and cooperation toward ensuring that the dialogue succeeded.

He cautioned against politicising the state government’s efforts at tackling the security challenges in the state.

“We are aware that some people are using politics to challenge the government’s efforts in this regard”, he noted.

The Emir of Birnin-Magaji, Alhaji Hussaini Maude-Dan’Ali, thanked the state government for initiating the dialogue and urged all parties to adhere to all the agreements reached during the dialogue.

“We are happy with the outcome of this meeting, we are going to continue to support government towards ensuring the success of this dialogue”, the emir said. (NAN)

Some fans of Disney movies have continued to express diverse reactions on the recent live action remakes of popular cartoons.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Disney has embarked on remaking popular cartoons and animations including ‘Jungle Book’ based on ‘Mowgli’, ‘Aladdin’ and soon-to-be released, ‘The Lion King’.

While some respondents praised the freshness the remakes bring to the iconic stories, others felt that having humans play cartoon characters took away the innocence usually experienced with animations.

Chigozie Ayamkpa, a cartoonist told NAN that watching the new human remakes of cartoons he grew up with, made him nostalgic adding that he always looked forward to them.

He said, “I was over the moon when I saw ‘Aladdin’, especially with Will Smith playing the genie. I applaud the thoughts Disney puts into these remakes to bring back our childhood memories.”

By Adaeze Iroha

A 47-year-old tailor, Popoola Abolade, was on Friday brought before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a company of N1.48 million.

Abolade, who resides in Ikeja area of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretenses, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the defendant committed the offences at 1p.m. on Jan. 19, at No. 33, Olorunlogbon St., Anthony Village, Lagos.

Oriabure said that the defendant was contracted by Slloyd Nigeria Ltd., to sew 222 uniforms worth over N1.6million for its workers.

He said however that the defendant delivered only 48 of the uniforms to the company and promised to deliver the remaining 174 uniforms, which he failed to do.

Oriabure told the court that instead of meeting his contractual obligations, the defendant locked up his shop and absconded with the balance of N1.48million.

“My Lord, it was the company’s Human Resources consultant, Mr Olumide Oladipo that made the report at the station.

“Upon investigation, the defendant was arrested and he signed an undertaking to supply the remaining uniforms to the company or return the money within three weeks.

“My Lord, that was in May, up to date, he has refused to do either,” the prosecutor  said.

Oriabure said the offences contravened Section 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 314 carries 15 years for obtaining by false pretences.

The Magistrate, Mrs S.O. Obasa, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Obasa ordered that the sureties must be above 40 years and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

He added that the sureties should show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned till July 30, for mention.

The immediate past governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi has said he prefers going to the Senate than becoming a minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s expected cabinet.

Ajimobi in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan on Thursday, explained that the ministerial appointment should go to younger members of the party in Oyo State since he is not the only APC member in the state.

According to him, retrieving his mandate in the last senatorial election in court is more important to him than pursuing a ministerial appointment.

Ajimobi, however, noted that President Buhari has not offered him any ministerial appointment, stressing that it was the reason he was committed to the petition his party filed against Senator Kola Balogun at the tribunal.

Ajimobi said: “I am in court for my senatorial election. I only expressed my preference that I am in court because I prefer the Senate.

“How can I be pursuing the Senate and ministerial appointment at the same time? I prefer the Senate.

“I hold President Muhammadu Buhari in high esteem. I will actually prefer a younger person to be considered for the ministerial slot since I am pursuing my senatorial ambition.”

It would be recalled that Balogun who contested on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner of the Oyo South Senatorial District election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

(more…)

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Mr Amaju Pinnick, has been impeached as 1st Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

His removal took place on Thursday at CAF Executive Committee meeting,  after a well attended congress in Cairo Egypt.

It would be recalled that Pinnick was elevated to the position after the corruption case brought against former Ghana FA President and CAF 1st VP, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

CAF executive committee on Wednesday agreed to allow FIFA Secretary General take charge of the administration of CAF for a period of 6 Months.

The FIFA Secretary is expected to take over the running of CAF in spite objection by some Executive Committee members.

Samoura will be in charge for an initial six-month period due to begin on August 1, with her team responsible to carry out a “full forensic audit” of CAF, whose President Ahmad Ahmad is facing allegation of corruption.

Ahmad was arrested over corruption charges in Paris last month.

A twitter user Osasu Obayiuwana who is in Egypt tweeted a message saying that the it was unclear why Pinnick was removed.