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The newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry Defence, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini, on Wednesday assumed duties with a pledge to ensure a robust working relationship with members of staff. The Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Malam Mohammed AbdulKadri, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Abdulkadri said that the new Permanent Secretary, a seasoned administrator and technocrat, was until his appointment the Director Special Project at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He added that Husseini replaced Alhaji Sabi’u Zakari who retired from active service recently. According to him, the new Permanent Secretary attended the Nigeria Defence Academy, (NDA) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal College of Arts and Sciences, Suleja, Government Secondary School, Kazaure and Kudu Primary School, Kazaure. READ ALSO: 60th Independence Anniversary: Ogun opts for low-key celebration “Hussaini is an expert in adminis

50 clusters to include isolation centres Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire With over 10 years of putting the event together, plans are in top gear by organisers of Arise Walk for Life, a yearly global initiative specially dedicated to Nigerians to keep up with their health in general. According to Dr Siju Iluyomade, founder of Arise Women, a “purely humanitarian foundation”, the anticipation for this year’s edition, scheduled for October 17, has been very tremendous despite disruptions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of individuals including prominent Nigerians in business, politics, entertainment and also the vineyard of the Lord have traditionally participated in the health awareness walking event, billed to commence at 7:00am in over 50 clusters across Nigeria, London, United States of America, Canada and various isolation centres, with each cluster having a minimum of 25 persons amongst whom are influencers and celebrities that have always been part of Arise. Oth

By Ikechukwu Amaechi EXPECTATIONS were high. Drums were rolled out. Great speeches were delivered. And the future looked great, or so it seemed, when Nigeria gained independence from Britain on October 1, 1960. Sadly, 60 years after, the diamond jubilee, which ought to be celebrated with pomp and pageantry, is at best muted for those who still believe in the country and at worst a sad reminder of the crime they claim Britain committed against their people by those who now believe there was a country. For such people, today is a day of mourning. That is the sad reality of Nigeria. Those who still believe in the idea of Nigeria insist that the diamond jubilee milestone is worth celebrating. To be sure, 60 years in the life of a person, organisation or country is a big deal. But celebration loses its essence when it is not about achievements. Who celebrates failure? There is a preponderance of opinion that the country has not achieved much in the past 60 years. Could that be the reas

So-called “flying cars” may be all the buzz these days, but Hyundai has established a new team in Silicon Valley tasked with developing a production version of the futuristic Elevate walking vehicle concept it unveiled at CES in 2019. The vehicle is equipped with robotic legs that have wheels instead of feet that allow it to drive like a car and also lift the body off the ground to traverse rough terrain in a walking motion. “We aim to create the world’s first transformer-class vehicle, also known as the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle,” said vice president Dr. John Suh, who is director of the New Horizons Studio. ALSO READ:  PLATEAU KILLINGS: Provide security for the people, senate to security agencies Hyundai thinks there is a wide variety of use cases for such a vehicle, including emergency first response in hard to reach areas and providing wheelchair access to buildings without ramp-equipped entrances. Hyundai did not say when it expects to have a working prototype or production v

Mr Roel van Neerbos, President of FrieslandCampina Consumer Dairy FrieslandCampina WAMCO has completed the purchase of Nutricima’s dairy business in Nigeria. In March FrieslandCampina and PZ Cussons signed an agreement regarding the acquisition. Nutricima’s dairy business will be integrated into FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC. Nutricima Limited (the “Company”) was founded in Nigeria in 2005 and has earned itself consumer awareness within the dairy industry since then. FrieslandCampina WAMCO has acquired the Company’s production facility in Ikorodu, Lagos State and the brands Olympic , Coast and Nunu , a range of powdered, evaporated and ready to drink milk products. These brands have a good presence across the Nigerian dairy market. Mr Ben Langat- Managing Director FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC This acquisition underlines FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s continued commitment to contribute to the development of the Nigerian dairy sector. The acquisition satisfies the

PDP and its colour flags By Idowu Bankole The National Campaign Council of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for Ondo Governorship Election, yesterday condemned Ondo state Governor,  Rotimi Akeredolu’s comments on the duo of Olusegun Mimiko, the immediate past governor of the state and a former Chief Judge of Ondo state Justice Sehinde Kumuyi. The PDP in a statement described the comments as an irresponsible hate speech and the highest form of political terrorism in our national contemporary history, which must be condemned by all. Also read: Ondo 2020: Former Rep aspirant declares support for Ondo dep gov, Agboola Ajayi The PDP said it was shocked by the latest of such comments, wherein  Governor Akeredolu, on national television on Sunday, declared key Ondo citizens as his “enemies for life” for rejecting him and his party, the APC ahead of the October 10, 2020 governorship elections. The statement reads in part: “Akeredolu’s statement that former Governor Olusegun Mimiko

UNICEF on Wednesday became the third UN agency to launch an internal inquiry into sexual abuse of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), promising “serious consequences” for any culprits. The children’s fund said in a statement it was “appalled that people who identify as UNICEF workers have reportedly committed abuse against vulnerable women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” It was not immediately clear how many UNICEF employees had been accused. “There will be serious consequences for any staff who have been found to have sexually abused people,” it added. Earlier Wednesday the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it too was investigating allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by one of its staff during the DRC’s Ebola crisis, while the World Health Organization made a similar announcement Tuesday. Placing three of the UN’s weightiest agencies in the spotlight, the statements come after a year-long investigative report published Tuesday b

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Wednesday said that its order to suspend the recent tariff increase was done in the public interest. Mr Dafe Akpeneye, Commissioner, Legal Licensing and Compliance, NERC, disclosed this at the virtual 2020 Businessday Energy Series – Fuel of the Future (Gas) Summit. The summit had the theme: “Nigeria at 60: Harnessing Nigeria’s Energy Potential for the Future”. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NERC issued an order to electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to suspend the implementation of the Service Reflective Tariff (SRT), effective Sept. 28 to Oct. 11. Akpeneye said the suspension would enable further consultations and finalisation of negotiations between the Federal Government and labour unions who kicked against the tariff hike. He said: “The gesture was done in good faith by the government and NERC as a regulator is bound by Section 33 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005, to comply with gene

By Bobson Gbinije IT is a maxim founded on the universal experience of mankind; That no nation is to be trusted farther than it is bound by its interest – George Washington (1732-1799). Letter to Congress.  WITH peremptory magistracy and awesome gallantry our founding fathers fought with dogged obduracy for the political independence of our glorious country, Nigeria. They clamoured with no-holds-barred, like the Roman hero Horatius, who fought with Spartan intrepidity defending Rome from the Etruscan invaders. Horatius asked like our founding fathers, “how can a man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his gods”? Our founding fathers invested their dreams on Nigeria, but whither goeth Nigeria today? After 60 years of political independence Nigeria is still silhouetted in the sordid saga and tapestry of progressivistic labyrinth. We are still rumbling in the cabbage of unthinkable corruption, arrant poverty, malaria scourge and arr

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash Netflix became the world’s largest subscription-streaming service by flooding the market with popular content that’s cheaper than the competition. Yet five years after it arrived in Africa, the US company is struggling to grow beyond the wealthiest segment of the population, held back by poverty, piracy and limited access to broadband. In a continent of more than a billion people, the service has 1.4 million subscribers, according to Digital TV Research. That compares with almost 20 million customers signed up to MultiChoice Group. ALSO READ:  BBNaija 2020: Lagos Govt awaits Laycon to pay tax in 2021 An important battleground is Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest economy and the heart of its TV industry. The rapid expansion of 4G mobile networks gives streaming services a new channel to reach audiences — as long as they’re able to pay. “For Netflix to target the whole region coming in with a higher price, the mobile market will be crucial,” sai

Former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko(left) and incumbent Rotimi Akeredolu. By Idowu Bankole Ondo State governor, Arakurin Rotimi Akeredolu has accused the former governor  Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko and former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Sehinde Kumuyi of betrayal, referring to them as his bogus enemies forever. Speaking on Channels Television Sunday Politics Programme, Governor Akeredolu stated that it is now established that his predecessor is his bogus enemy for choosing a path to stab him in the back. Also read: Chaos as Boko Haram/ISWAP executes its own ‘governor of Lake Chad’ in power struggle According to Akeredolu, “I took him as a friend, and for me, I will make it clear. I am not somebody that hide my feelings, me he is a bogus enemy so that is established now, a reference to him as my friend will probably not be right. “To me, he is a bogus enemy, and he remains so for life. It is better for us to go our separate ways because with friends like him,

Governor AbdulRazaq By Demola Akinyemi – Ilorin Kwara state government has announced the reopening of all public and private schools across the state with effect from Monday, October 5, 2020, while Tertiary institutions are to resume as from October 12, 2020. Recall that schools had been ordered shut since 23rd March following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, which is largely believed to still be with us. While urging students and schools authorities to strictly adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols, the state warned that any school that failed in this regard risk being shut. This is contained in a press statement issued last night by state Commissioner for Communications Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin made available to journalists in Ilorin. According to the statement, “With various pieces of training held for teachers on how to protect themselves and students from the COVID-19 infection, improved manpower in monitoring and case tracings, and an appreciable guarantee of some pro

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, says there is still hope for Nigeria as it attains 60 years of nationhood. The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos. Odumakin said that Nigeria would move forward to fulfil the dreams of its founding fathers if the citizens would do the right things and the constitution reviewed to reflect the will and wishes of the federating units. He said that there was the need to separate good governance from politics. READ ALSO: Independence Anniversary: Buhari to make nationwide broadcast “We need a constitution that can put us together well, take us to the land of opportunities and ensure equality, fairness and justice for every section. “We need a constitution that can make all federating units proud of the nation. We must go back to true federalism. “We must ensure that we separate politics from governance,” the

By Princewill Ekwujuru Procter & Gamble,P&G, says it’s promozting child health in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development with the Rigakafi project in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), donates 250,000 Pampers The company said also that the program aims to promote child health, improve child nutrition, and increase immunization rates in rural and peri-urban communities of the FCT. The initiative was announced at the official handover to the  Minister of Women Affairs in Abuja and will extend its impact through partnerships with other stakeholders. Speaking at the program which is the second phase, Senior Director for Africa, Global Government Relations & Public Policy for P&G, Dr. Temitope Iluyemi said: “This is the first of our many partnerships in the second phase of the Rigakafi program. READ ALSO:  Law firm writes Healthplus, warns against sack of CEO, George “We are honored to support the child health programs of the

TODAY is the 60th anniversary of Nigeria’s flag independence. Our Diamond Jubilee is themed: “Together”. The Federal Government has rolled out a one year-long panoply of events that will terminate on September 31, 2021 but will be marked today in “low-key” with the ongoing pandemic in mind. For decades, our independence days have always provided opportunities for “sobre reflections”. Even this Diamond anniversary will not be different. In fact, governments seem to be the only stakeholders bothered with a celebration of any sort because it is their officially-bounden duty. Ordinary Nigerians have very little reason to celebrate. Even the “togetherness” which seemingly excites the Federal Government has increasingly come under question under the current administration which seems strongly committed to the aggrandisement of a section of the populace at the expense of other equally entitled Nigerians. The flagrant violation of the Federal Character provision of the 1999 Constitution an

China is preparing to launch an antitrust probe into Google, looking into allegations it has leveraged the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to stifle competition, two people familiar with the matter said. The case was proposed by telecommunications equipment giant Huawei last year and has been submitted by the country’s top market regulator to the State Council’s antitrust committee for review, they added. A decision on whether to proceed with a formal investigation may come as soon as October and could be affected by the state of China’s relationship with the US, one of the people said. ALSO READ:  How my mum died on my father’s birthday, Davido reveals The potential investigation follows a raft of actions by US President Donald Trump’s administration to hobble Chinese tech companies, citing national security risks. This has included putting Huawei on its trade blacklist, threatening similar action for Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (better known

The Ekiti House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill for the upgrading of the State College of Education to University of Education, Science and Technology. The bill was unanimously passed at Tuesday’s plenary in Ado-Ekiti, presided over by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi Afuye. Also read: We encourage Nigerian youths with talented skills in entertainment — TNT Group Boss The passage of the bill followed the submission of the report of the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology headed by Mrs Kemi Balogun. According to the report, read by Balogun, the Transitional Provision of Section 38 would give room to the existing students of the College of Education, lkere-Ekiti after the effective date of this law to complete their course of study as stipulated. The report after ratification by the Committee of the Whole House, was unanimously passed. The executive bill is titled, “A Bill for a Law to provide for the Establishment, Incorporation, Constitution, Powers and Function

…as govt decries leaked Royal memo Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai By Ibrahim HassanWuyo Kingmakers of Zazzau Emirate are currently engaged in a fresh process to recommend candidates for the office of the 19th Fulani Emir of Zazzau, the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, SSG, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has disclosed. Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser to the Governor (Media & Communication)stated this in a statement on Wednesday. According to the statement, “the SSG explained that the Kaduna State Government directed a new round of the selection process following the cancellation of the initial process, which excluded two interested applicants. The Bunu Zazzau complained that he was unable to submit his application because he was told that the window for receipt of applications had closed. ALSO READ:   I got all the help I needed as President from Late Emir of Zazzau – Obasanjo The Sarkin Dajin Zazzau also protested his exclusion from the process. It was also noted t

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, has instructed officers and men of the command to disallow any group from staging rallies or protests within the state to mark the nation’s 60th Independence anniversary. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria will attain 60 years as an independent country on Oct.1,2020 having gained independence from the British Government on Oct.1, 1960. Odumosu, in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Wednesday, said that the Lagos State Government had cancelled the ceremonial parade in adherence to COVID-19 regulations. According to him, the cancellation of the ceremonial parade by the state government is to discourage the gathering of more than 50 people inorder to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. READ ALSO: 60th Independence anniversary: How Obasanjo’s economic policy ruined Nigeria ― Accord chieftain “We will not allow any gatherings, rallies or protests ag

By Ebunoluwa Sessou The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed has harped on the need to harness multilateralism and partnership with the vision to change the narrative, saying keeping momentum for maternal and child health and recovery strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic; should be the focus on the universal health coverage that strengthens accountability and investing wisely. In a statement during a virtual event for the launch the programme to mark the 10-year anniversary of Every Woman, Every Child, on the theme, “Protect the Progress- Rise, Refocus, Recover:  The 2020 Progress Report on the Every Woman, Every Child Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health”, Mohammed stated that the return on the investment and its positive ripple effect will be transformational for families, communities and societies at large. According to her, Women and children are the faces of the Decade of Action ahead.  “In 2030, we will judge our success in delivering the Sust

By Taiwo Akinlami I AM reluctant to write this piece and it has nothing to do with my disposition to the issue at hand. My reluctance is borne out of the fact that it is insane to keep hoping for sanity in an insane contraption like Nigeria. Insanity produces after its very kind. A mango tree will not produce an apple. So, why do we continue in the name of social, political and economic activism demand justice from an inherently unjust system, build on the faulty foundation of a nation negotiated for the unilateral interests of those who negotiated the same at the 1960 independence arrangement. In my work with the precious Nigerian children, which has spanned a period of over two decades, I have come to the irresistible conclusion that the well-being and happiness of the Nigerian child is only possible in a reordered Nigerian society and not the present one. This present Nigerian state does not have what it takes in form and character to secure a friendly and protective environmen