Jason Njoku replies those who criticized him for teaching his kids French and Mandarin but refuses to teach them Igbo

iROKO TV founder Jason Njoku has responded after he was criticized for teaching his kids French and Mandarin yet proudly stating that they can't speak Igbo and it's okay (read here).

Mr Njoku came under attack when he tweeted: "My children are currently learning French. Mandarin will be up next. I intend for them to develop this over the next 10 years. They can't speak Igbo (neither can I). Its okay. The world won't shake from its foundations."

Twitter users accused him of taking actions that will cause his kids not to know their roots. They also accused him of taking actions that will make the Igbo language go extinct.

The father-of-three has now replied. In his reply, he narrated the life experiences that shaped him and made him unable to speak his native language.

He revealed he has never met his father and even when he moved to Owerri as a teenager for 4 years to mingle with his relatives and know his roots, those same cousins called him "a bastard everyday".

He added that he gave his kids native names and that's what they go by.

As for those saying his actions will make the Igbo language go extinct, he said, "40m+ people speak Igbo. The language is never going to die. Please calm down now."

Read his entire thread below.

French giants, Paris Saint-Germain unveil Idrissa Gueye as he completes £30m move from Everton

French giants, Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the signing of Idrissa Gueye from Everton on a four-year deal.

The Senegalese midfielder, 29,  was unveiled on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, after he completed his medical and settled personal terms in the French capital on Monday.

Speaking to his new club after signing the deal, Gueye said: 'I feel tremendous pride in joining Paris Saint-Germain. 

'After remaining focused on the CAN with my selection, I wanted to give a new impetus to my club career by engaging with Paris Saint-Germain, which offers one of the most structured and ambitious sports projects in the world. 

'I thank the leaders, the coach and his staff for the trust they place in me. I will do everything to show myself worthy of this confidence and to integrate quickly into this group of very talented players. 

'Finally, it will be a great pleasure to taste the exceptional atmosphere of the Parc des Princes, which impressed me during my first visit to France!'

Lagos State to close Jibowu Rail Crossing road for 30-days due to gas-pipe relocation works

The Lagos State Government has announced that a section of the Jibowu Crossing will be closed for thirty days from Wednesday, July 31 to Thursday, August 29, 2019, for the relocation of gas pipes situated close to the perimeter of the rail line.    

According to a statement issued today by the State Ministry of Transportation, the closure and relocation work on the gas pipeline would affect the free flow of traffic around the corridor.    

Consequently, motorists are advised to avoid this area but road users who cannot completely ignore the corridor are advised to obey traffic officers and other law enforcement personnel assigned to manage traffic during the period of relocation of the gas pipeline.

Boris Johnson appoints Nigerian as Minister

A Nigerian Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch was on Saturday July 27, appointed a Children and Families Minister by the new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Olukemi, a British Conservative politician and Member of Parliament (MP) for Saffron Walden arrived the UK at the age of 16. The 39-year-old software and IT engineer studied systems engineering at Sussex University and also has a law degree. She is a mother of two and had previously worked in the banking sector for Coutts and RBS. 

The Nigerian-born British politician tweeted in acceptance of the new appointment;

I’m humbled to have been appointed a junior minister at the DfE. A huge privilege to be able to serve and make a positive difference on a number of issues close to my heart. I look forward to working with the ministerial team and everyone at @educationgovuk

Thank you for all good wishes and kind messages of support received. I also look forward to working not just with @Conservatives colleagues but cross-party and grateful for the warm welcome from @TracyBrabin and @SteveReedMP  who no doubt will be keeping me on my toes!

And finally apologies to anyone who I have not responded to directly. If I don’t follow you, then I won’t have seen anything you posted on twitter. Please send an email instead!

Kemi Badenoch MP

✔@KemiBadenoch

I’m humbled to have been appointed a junior minister at the DfE. A huge privilege to be able to serve and make a positive difference on a number of issues close to my heart. I look forward to working with the ministerial team and everyone at @educationgovuk ...(1/3)

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7:29 AM - Jul 29, 2019

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Henry Onyekuru denied work permit for the third successive season

Super Eagles player and Everton winger Henry Onyekuru has been denied a work permit by the British Home Office for the third season in a row, Liverpool Echo confirmed. 

The footballer who got married over the weekend was denied a British work permit over not playing at least 75 per cent of the Eagles’ matches in the last 2 years. He reportedly played only six times in the previous 12 months for the Eagles. 

Though he is yet to play a match for Everton after being signed from Belgian side KAS Eupen in 2017 for €8m, the 22-year-old Nigerian footballer has increased his value by excelling on loan at both Anderlecht and Galatasaray. Onyekuru scored 16 goals for Galatasaray last season and also had an additional six assists en route to the Turkish domestic double.

The Super Eagles player might likely be loaned out again despite several clubs around Europe wanting to secure his services on a permanent basis.

Katy Perry loses to Christian rapper Flame in court as Jury finds that her 2013 hit, Dark Horse, was copied from his 2009 song

Katy Perry has lost to Christian rapper Flame in a copyright infringement trial.

A federal jury in Los Angeles on Monday ruled that Katy Perry's 2013 song Dark Horse violated copyright infringement law in its similarity to the 2009 song Joyful Noise from Flame, a Christian rapper.

Flame, whose real name is Marcus Gray, filed the suit in 2014 with two other authors of the song. He claimed in the suit that Dark Horse incorporated beats and instrumentals that paralleled those in Joyful Noise.

But Katy Perry's lawyers told the court that the parts of the song Flame and his team cited were musical basics, and that the trickle-down effect of a loss in the suit would have a negative impact on the industry.

Perry's lawyer Christine Lepera told the court last week: "They're trying to own basic building blocks of music, the alphabet of music that should be available to everyone."

Katy Perry and Dark Horse co-writer Dr. Luke both took the stand at the week-long trial, claiming they never heard of Flame and were not listeners of Christian music.

But Flame's legal team argued their client had significant exposure prior to the release of Dark Horse in 2013, as Joyful Noise had amassed millions of plays on Spotify and YouTube; and the album it was included on, Our World Redeemed, received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album.

The trial ended in favour of Flame. The next step in the legal process will enter the penalty phase, in which the nine-person jury will determine the award for the copyright infringement violation, according to the AP.

#MinisterialScreening: 'During your first tenure I didn’t get employment letter for my constituents' - Tinubu Tells Fashola

The screening of ministerial nominees by the Senate took a slight turn today when Senator Remi Tinubu told Babatunde Fashola (a ministerial nominee) that her constituency was denied employment slots during his first tenure as Minister of Power, Works and Housing.  

The Senator representing Lagos central said Fashola should remember her constituency this time around if appointed as Minister.

“My only addition is that during your first tenure, I remember I didn’t get any chance to give employment letter to my constituency.

So, when you get there this time, just remember Senators here that have people back home. My constituents are asking us for employment slots.

So, I want you to put that in your agenda for next tenure. We all need slot for employment for our constituents,” she said.  

She was however quick to add that Fashola who was also a former governor of Lagos State is fit and competent to serve as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria again. Fashola, however could not give a response to Senator Tinubu as he was asked to take a bow and go after almost two hours of engagement and questioning by the lawmakers.

52 inmates die during terrifying prison riot in Brazil

No fewer than 52 inmates were killed in a prison riot in northern Brazil today as rival gang factions fought each other.

Sixteen of the dead were decapitated in the second major eruption of violence to rock the country’s severely overpopulated and deadly prison system in as many months. Fighting broke out in the Altamira Regional Recovery Center at around 7:00 am (1000 GMT), an official from the Para state government’s penitentiary department told AFP.

Two guards were taken hostage during the hours-long clashes, which were brought under control at around midday. They were eventually freed.  Brazilian TV stations showed footage of thick black smoke rising from the prison compound and people sitting on the roof of a building.  

Other images showed flames inside a building that almost reached the ceiling and people, apparently prisoners, sitting on the ground outside. “It is likely that many detainees died from asphyxiation (from smoke),” the government official said, adding the death toll could rise.  

Around 300 prisoners were being held at the jail, the official said, which reportedly has a capacity for 200.

An outbreak of violence in the same prison in September 2018 left at least seven inmates dead. Guards had apparently foiled an attempted prison escape. In May this year, at least 55 prisoners were killed in several jails in the neighboring state of Amazonas in violence also blamed on an apparent drug trafficking gang dispute.

Angry Ijaw youths shut down 10 telecom masts in Bayelsa State

Task Force of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone raided and shut down facilities belonging to telecommunication companies in Bayelsa State following unresolved disputes on awards of quick-win contracts.  

The task force, which was set up by the IYC zonal Chairman, Kennedy Olorogun, picketed facilities belonging to MTN, GLO, Airtel, 9Mobile and other telecommunication companies across Yenagoa metropolis.  

Hundreds of the youths stormed 10 telecom masts and disconnected them, leaving subscribers stranded and the affected companies losing millions of Naira. The youths, who chanted solidarity songs, said they would no longer allow the companies to continue with the practice of awarding their jobs to only non-indigenes especially contracts to supply diesel to their facilities.

The Olorogun-led IYC has been at loggerheads with telecom companies operating in the state following discoveries by the council that the firms engaged only non-indigenes in their jobs and contracts. IYC wrote many letters to the management of the telecom companies on the need to correct the imbalance insisting that the council would no longer tolerate the companies’ practice of outsourcing diesel supply to only non-indigenes in the state.  

Following lack of responses to all the letters, Olorogun in separate letters issued 14-day ultimatum to the companies to act or risk disruption of their operations in the state. Olorogun said the picketing occurred because the ultimatum expired about three days ago but the companies failed to act to avert the threat.

He said: “The companies were playing with us. They failed to act. Instead, they wanted to bribe me but I am not the kind of leader that collects bribe. We want them to do the right thing. They should address the issues. We are hosting their facilities. They can’t be giving all their jobs to outsiders”.

He warned that the Monday action was a tip of the iceberg adding that massive disconnections would hit the companies if they failed to address their grievances. Shortly after the picketing, communication network failures were recorded in most parts of the capital city as subscribers living in the affected areas could no longer make or receive calls.

Ogun ex-deputy governor Abdul Rafiu Ogunleye has died

Alhaji Abdul Rafiu Ogunleye, a former Deputy Governor of Ogun State is dead as confirmed in a statement released by Governor Dapo Abiodun's Chief Press Secretary Mr. Kunle Somorin. 

The Deputy Governor during Chief Olusegun Osoba's tenure as a Governor of the state died at his hometown in Itele on Monday July 29, at the age of 79.

Governor Dapo Abiodun in his tribute to late Alhaji Abdul Rafiu Ogunleye, described him as an astute administrator and a politician per excellent who contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political development of Ogun State.

Nothing wrong in appointing service chiefs from one region - Ango Abdullahi

Ango Abdullahi, the Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has stated that there is nothing wrong in appointing service chiefs from one region of the country.

In his defence of the appointment of the Inspector General of police, Mohammed Adamu who is from Nasarawa state, Ango expressed displeasure over the criticism that trailed it. He added that Service Chiefs don't make security decisions based on the regions they are from but for a broader interest. 

Professor Abdullahi told The Sun: "It's very sad that there is insinuation here that, for instance, the chief of police now is from Nasarawa state, is he going to take decision based on the fact that he is from Nassarawa state or perhaps on a larger scale that the fact that the IG of police is from Nasarawa state and Nasarawa state is a state in northern Nigeria, so he is chief of police from the north and, therefore, there will be no consideration on police matters concerning other parts of Nigeria?

"This is very sad, very dangerous argument that is being put forward. How many offices are we even talking about and you are saying lopsidedness of offices?

"Have you looked at the offices in the civil service and those that occupy them, so what is the fuss all about? Are they parochial or are they biased in the discharge of duties concerning other parts of the country?" 

Manchester United legend Patrice Evra confirms retirement from football at 38

Manchester United legend, Patrice Evra, who was one of the best left-backs in Premier League history, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.

Evra enjoyed a brilliant career at Manchester United, where he won 10 major trophies. Heannounced his retirement on Monday, July 29, 2019.

"My playing career is officially over," the 38-year-old told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I started training for the UEFA B Coaching Licence in 2013, now I want to finish it and then go on to get the UEFA A licence.

"In a year and a half, if everything goes well, I’ll be ready to lead a team."

The Frenchman later shared a six-minute video of his career highlights on Instagram, accompanied with the caption: 'Merci Au Revoir,' which translates to 'Thank you, goodbye.'

Evra, who joined Manchester United in 2006 from Monaco, went on to make 379 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals and adding 40 assists, and won five Premier Leagues, four Community Shields, three League Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup and of course the Champions League.

He also joined Juventus in 2014, where he won three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias. Evra also enjoyed 10-month spell at Marseille before making a brief return to the Premier League with West Ham in 2018.

EVRA'S CAREER 

1998–1999 Marsala 

1999–2000 Monza 

2000–2002 Nice

2002–2006 Monaco 

2006–2014 Manchester United

2014–2017 Juventus 

2017 Marseille 

2018 West Ham United

 International: France (81 caps) 

Gernot Rohr speaks about being 'snubbed' by Amaju Pinnick during medal presentation at AFCON

Gernot Rohr finally reacted to being snubbed by Amaju Pinnick during the bronze medal presentation at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, and according to him it is nothing serious. 

The Super Eagles coach debunked claims of a possible rift between him and the NFF President following the video which went viral after the medal presentation.

“Yes, I saw it (video), somebody sent it immediately to me, the people did not understand (what happened),” Rohr told Sports Extra.

“Ask the president (Pinnick) why he did it, I didn’t do anything, I wanted to shake him. So you must ask him why he did it. I watched the video again when Victor Ikpeba was here (his hotel), we were laughing about it.

“The president did not explain to me but I know exactly what happened, because I was the last one on the stage. Before me was Tunde, my assistant, who wanted to receive the medal from Pinnick and Pinnick said, ‘No, no, I will start from you (Rohr).’

“There was Constant (Omari), CAF vice president, and he was happy to see me and took me in his arms and gave me the medal, I could not say no. I didn’t even know that Pinnick wanted to give me the medal with him, nobody told me.

“But I heard it after because Pinninck told Tunde that he wanted to present the medal to me, so he was a little bit worried about this situation.

“But I only understood it after. He (Pinnick) went to Constant and asked why he gave me the medal because he wanted to give it to me. But I understand that it was joy for him to give me the medal because we had face-to-face conversation in Cairo, where we could speak about all these problems.

“So, there was no problem between us at that moment, the misunderstanding was unfortunate," he added. 

Gernot Rohr also disclosed that he took a photo standing next to Pinnick after the incidence, but wondered why it never went viral like the video. 

“I joined the players for the photo (session), I stayed on the stage and said, “President, come (and join us).’ The photographers could see us (Rohr and Pinnick) behind the players but I didn’t see all these photos, they only shot this video, so many bloggers here in Nigeria.”

Court in Morocco sentences two Dutch citizens to death over the accidental killing of a medical student in 2017

A Moroccan court has sentenced to death two Dutch citizens over the accidental killing of a medical student in 2017.

Two years ago Edwin Gabriel Robles Martinez and Shardyone Girigorio Semerel allegedly opened fire on a cafe in the tourist hub of Marrakech. They had apparently been aiming at the cafe’s owner, but instead killed the student and wounded two other people, local media reported.    

At the time local officials said the shooting was a “settling of accounts” that was “directly linked to a criminal network which has ramifications in some European countries”. On Friday a court sentenced to jail 15 other suspects in the same case, handing them terms ranging between three and 20 years for setting up a “criminal gang”, lawyer Abdellatif Htitech told AFP.  

A spokeswoman for the foreign ministry in the Netherlands told AFP that the Dutch embassy “is in direct contact with the lawyer”, without giving further details. Asked if the Netherlands would intervene, Annemijn van den Broek said it was up to those convicted to decide whether or not to appeal.  But she added that the Netherlands is opposed to the death penalty.  

Morocco which last issued a death sentence earlier this month against three Islamic State group supporters over the beheadings of two Scandinavian women tourists has had a de facto freeze on executions since 1993.

RUGA should be embraced by any interested states and not enforced on non-interested states – Governor Umar Ganduje

Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje, has described Ruga settlement as a programme that needs to be embraced by any interested states and not to be enforced on non-interested states in the country.  

According to Ganduje, RUGA should not have been the programme of the federal government but rather for any states with the interest of the Fulani herdsmen whose economic relevance is not in doubt.    

The governor stated this while addressing reporters in Sokoto after attending the wedding of the son of the former Governor of Kano State, Senator Kabiru Gaya in Sokoto on Saturday.

He said, “I think the suspended programme was really misunderstood. Ruga is supposed to be for a state where Fulani’s are residents, you can not implement Ruga where the indigenes are not Fulani. The programme should be for those states that will cater for Fulanis, and the issue of herdsmen should be that of social-economic issues and not a social-cultural issue.  

“That is why in Kano state, we decided to develop a grazing area in the form of Ruga system where the Fulanis will be in one place and can be monitored. They will get all other social services that are being provided for the people of Kano State which includes health, hospital, security, and education. Not only that, their businesses would be improved upon so that they can produce more nutritious milk for the people.  

“There is no better way we can resettle the Fulani people than the practice of Ruga system. There is no better way you can improve the quality of life of the people instead of migrating from one part of the country to the other. Otherwise, the Fulani people will be suffering and the security problems will continue. I am not happy the way they are being treated in the country, at the same time, I am not happy the way they behave too because of their lack of education, which is gradually graduating into banditry. I am not happy,” he stated.

Barcelona confirm legend Patrick Kluivert as head of La Masia academy

Patrick Kluivert has made another return to Barcelona 15-years after he left the Spanish giants as a player.

The Dutch legend who was recently sacked as Cameroon assistant manager after a poor AFCON campaign has been confirmed as Barcelona's new head of La Masia academy.

The 43-year-old signed a two-year deal to be the director of youth football until June 2021.

'I am very happy to be back home and looking forward to this new era, with the challenge of keeping Barça among the top teams in the world' he said after putting pen to paper. 

'I grew up at the Ajax academy, which is very similar to La Masía, and I think I can do a lot for the development of young Barca players.'

The former Dutch striker played for Barcelona between 1998-2004 and scored 123 goals in 259 games for the club. 

Oby Ezekwesili says CBN’s forex restriction on milk is to punish Nigerians for rejecting RUGA

Oby Ezekwesili has reacted to CBN’s plan to place forex restriction on the importation of milk, and according to her, it is punishment to Nigerians for rejecting the proposed RUGA settlement. 

Recall that CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, while addressing newsmen at the end of the bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, said between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion is spent yearly to import milk into the country. He further pleaded with milk importers to help the FG reduce the rate of farmers-herders conflict. 

However reacting to this, Oby Ezekwesili alleged that the proposed ban was borne out vindictiveness. The former Minister of Education pointed out that Nigeria has the highest number of children less than 5 years with chronic malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa, and she added that a milk importation ban is dangerous for the poor. 

She tweeted; 

“Nothing more perverse of Political Leaders and Policy Makers as Policies borne out of Vindictiveness.

”It appears from what the CBN said on the MilkBanPolicy that it is a case of “You folks rejected RUGA, here is your punishment.” What a BIG SHAME that would be.

“Often I read or hear Nigerians say: “We have good policies/laws. Our problem is lack of implementation”.

“How wrong they are! The bane of our failure to achieve sustained economic growth that reduced Poverty in other countries is actually, BAD…..dangerous Policies/Laws.

“Milk consumption by Nigerians: 1.7 Million milk production in Nigeria: 600,000 tonnes.

”When MilkBan Policy happens, to avoid Scarcity which Prices Milk up and out of the reach of the Poor, Nigeria needs to immediately triple current production of milk.

“Nigeria has the highest number of children less than 5 years with chronic malnutrition (stunting or low height-for-age) in sub-Saharan Africa at more than 11.7 million, according to the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) (National Population Commission)”

“Child Poverty is even worst in a country that holds the ignoble record of being the World’s Capital of Extremely Poor People; our President should be fleeing from Policies that escalate Poverty.

“The CBN’s MilkBan Policy is dangerous. Dangerous for the Poor."

Oby Ezekwesili

✔@obyezeks

Nothing more perverse of Political Leaders and Policy Makers as Policies borne out of Vindictiveness.
It appears from what the @cenbank said on the #MilkBanPolicy that it is a case of: “You folks rejected RUGA, here is your punishment.”
What a BIG SHAME that would be.
STOP IT!

328

9:26 AM - Jul 26, 2019

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French champions, Paris Saint-Germain agree to buy Idrissa Gueye for £28m from Everton

French champions, Paris Saint-Germain have agreed to buy Senegalese and Everton midfielder, Idrissa Gueye for £28million.

The Senegal international who has been a long term target for the French club is expected to complete his move to the Ligue 1 champions this week, ending his three-year stay at Goodison Park.

The 29-year-old who made clear his plans to leave Goodison Park for PSG in January by handing in a transfer request, has made 108 appearances for the club since his arrival from Aston Villa in 2016.

It is understood agreeing terms of a financial package will not be an issue for Gueye as there is a  number of complexities attached to the deal which still needs to be ironed before the move can go ahead.

Zimbabwe arrests female minister Prisca Mupfumira for corruption

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira on allegations of corruption.  

A senior ZACC official confirmed that Mupfumira was currently being interviewed at the commission’s offices.  ZACC was recently granted arresting powers through a Statutory Instrument.

“Yes, we have picked her up. We are currently interviewing her, but she is not going back home,” the source said.

The corruption allegations emanate from an audit report on the National Social Security Authority which reportedly unearthed various financial transgressions at the institution. She becomes the first Cabinet minister to be arrested on corruption charges since President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed the current team in 2018.

Facebook slapped with record-breaking $5 billion fine for breaching users' privacy

Facebook has been slapped with a record-breaking $5 billion fine to resolve a US government probe into its privacy practices.

The US Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday that the social media giant has also agreed to restructure its approach to privacy from the corporate board-level down. .

As part of the settlement, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg will have to personally certify the company's compliance with privacy measures. Failure to do so could result in civil or criminal penalties.

FTC Chairman Joe Simons said: "Despite repeated promises to its billions of users worldwide that they could control how their personal information is shared, Facebook undermined consumers’ choices.

"The magnitude of the $5 billion penalty and sweeping conduct relief are unprecedented in the history of the FTC.

"The relief is designed not only to punish future violations but, more importantly, to change Facebook’s entire privacy culture to decrease the likelihood of continued violations."

The $5 billion penalty against Facebook is the largest ever imposed on any company for violating consumers’ privacy ,and almost 20 times greater than the largest privacy or data security penalty ever imposed worldwide, according to Mirro.co.uk.

In its ruling, the FTC said that Facebook's data policy was deceptive to "tens of millions" of people who used Facebook's facial recognition setting called Tag Suggestions, because the setting was turned on by default. The company's data policy suggested that users would need to opt-in to having facial recognition enabled for their accounts.

It also accused the company of deceptive practices when it told users it would collect their phone numbers to enable a security feature, but did not disclose that it also used those numbers for advertising purposes, Mirror reports.

Under the settlement, Facebook's board will create an independent privacy committee that removes "unfettered control by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over decisions affecting user privacy."

The social network will have to carry out privacy audits on any new or updated product it launches which uses data, documenting any risks and how it plans to mitigate them.

Facebook also agreed to exercise greater oversight over third-party apps, to avoid a repeat of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

'Killer herdsmen must leave Southwest now or face hostility' – Afenifere issues strong statement

Pan-Yoruba Socio-political organisation, Afenifere has ordered killer Fulani herdsmen to leave Southwest now or face serious confrontation.  

The organisation stated that about 30,000 people were killed due to activities of killer herdsmen between 2015 and 2019.

At a news conference on Wednesday in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, one of the leaders of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said the decision was taken following the killing of the daughter of Afenifere’s leader, Reuben Fasoranti, Olufunke Olakunrin by suspected herdsmen.  

Adebanjo warned the National Assembly “not to amend the Land Use Act with the intent to change the predominance of land allocation in states to the federal government to allow RUGA’s implementation. We demand their immediate exit from Yoruba land. If they refused to leave in reasonable time, we will not stop our people from confronting them".

“Yoruba land has now become the epicenter of the terror of these Fulani marauders and our people are fed up with the shedding of innocent blood that is quite anathema to our respect for human life which would see us remembering those who died peacefully 50 years down the line.”

He expressed disappointment with the refusal of the federal government to allow elected governors have state police, while on the other hand permitting the setting up Fulani bandit -vigilantes on Yoruba soil in addition to the Fulani militias terrorising the same land.    

“We are miffed that those who will not allow our elected governors have police are now setting up Fulani bandit -vigilantes on our soil in addition to the Fulani militias terrorizing our land,” he said.  

He, therefore, lamented that about 30,000 people “have been killed by the Fulani herdsmen/militia across the country between 2015 and 2019. Apart from not bringing them to book, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has taken so many steps which betray the encouragement being given to these troublers of Nigeria. We cannot continue to live under these conditions. The blood of our people will no longer be used to water the tree of a dysfunctional unitary order,” he added.  

Adebanjo called for an immediate timeline for a return to a federalist Nigeria that would allow for autonomy for each state to run its internal affairs, saying that the activities of Fulani herdsmen/bandits/kidnappers and other miscreants would have been effectively dealt with if the governors as Chief Security officers of their states had control of the security agencies.  

He said with the current proposed security budget for 2019 is N1.76 trillion, a devolved entity would have enabled better utilization of part of that expenditure; particularly in the over N300b for policing which was further subsidised by the state governments’ additional allocations and over N600b intended for internal affairs.  

According to Adebanjo, the past few years had been troubling for the country as “we have witnessed mass killings of people in the country, most of which have been linked to Fulani herdsmen/militia and the Nigerian state has not been able to dispel the allegations by unraveling the brains behind the killings and applying the law against them.  

“We demand an immediate timeline for a return to a federalist Nigeria so that we can have autonomy to run our internal affairs and failure to do so will constrain our capacity to continue to restrain our people from embracing self-determination.  “We task the government to find the real killers of Olakunrin and not the innocent people that the communities around where she was killed have alleged are being randomly arrested and put an end to the genocide in our zone and across the country.”  

Adebanjo said the federal government had been careless and insensitive in the handling the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the country.  “First, it was outright denial it was engaged in by saying those carrying AK-47 riffles about and killing people were foreign Fulani. The President specifically said they were Gaddafi’s men let loose from Libya and yet they were not arresting them.

“Next they moved to accuse people of spreading hate speech against the local Fulani. It got to a ridiculous stage that when Miyetti Allah is accused of any crime, it is either the Ministry of Information or Presidential spokespersons becoming the mouthpiece of the group. It is now clear we Yoruba have had enough-as the Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo and Prof Wole Soyinka and other Yoruba patriots have warned,” he said.  

Adebanjo addressed the conference alongside other Afenifere leaders, including Prof Banji Akintoye, Prof. Akin Osuntokun, Dr. Femi Okunrounmu, Chief Supo Shonibare, Alhaji Sola Lawal and Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

Osinbajo, Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, others attend 90th Birthday celebration of ex-Lagos state gov, Lateef Jakande

Lateef Jakande, the former Governor of Lagos state clocked 90 years old today July 23rd.

Jakande became governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983 on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN. He was also the Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime from 1993 to 1998.

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba were amongst the dignitaries that graced his 90th birthday party which held at the Haven Event Centre, Ikeja area of Lagos. See more photos below

Nigeria to receive N714m from CAF as prize money for 2019 AFCON

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will get N714m ($2m) from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for participating and coming third at the recently concluded  2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

Nigeria finished third after beating Tunisia 1-0 in the third-place game to win the bronze medal for a record eighth time in AFCON history. 

 
African Cup of Nations champions, Algeria will get the sum of $4.5 million, while the second-placed team Senegal will get $2.5m.

The prizes will be distributed as follows:

Angola and Kenya (Third place in group-stages): $620.000

Round of 16: $670.000 (Benin, Uganda, Egypt, Mali, Guinea, DR Congo, Cameroon and Ghana)

Quarter-finals: $800.000 (Madagascar, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Benin)

Semi-finalists: $2 million (Nigeria and Tunisia)

Senegal: $2.5 million.

Algeria: $4.5 million.

Car accident reveals Catholic Priest has been stealing church offering

A car accident in which a Catholic Priest fractured his hip, revealed that he has been stealing church offering to the tune of $95,000.

When emergency workers responded to the accident in a California town last month, they saw bags of cash containing $18,305.86 allegedly stolen from the church in Father Oscar Diaz’s car. Subsequent investigation into the theft, revealed that Fr. Diaz had in his office and home, collection bags from Resurrection Parish totaling more than $95,000.

“There is also evidence that money was stolen in a variety of ways from each of the parishes where he had served as pastor. I am deeply grieved that this has happened and am deeply saddened that the parishes he was sent to serve have been harmed,” Bishop Robert F. Vasa wrote in his July 22 press release.

“The full extent of the theft is not known and may never be fully known but the Diocese is committed to determining as fully as possible the extent of the theft from each of these parishes. Once such determinations are made it is the goal of the Diocese to make restitution to the parishes.”

The Catholic Priest has now been suspended from the Diocese of Santa Rosa as announced on July 22, and he has been the subject of a police investigation.

Fr. Diaz had been a priest for 25 years, and it was gathered that he told the emergency responders at the time of the crash that the bags of cash were his salary. A further probe revealed that Diaz had also deposited a number of checks made out to parishes into his personal bank account. He has also admitted to stealing the church collection bags for some time. 

“There is also evidence that money was stolen in a variety of ways from each of the Parishes where he had served as pastor,” he added, saying he was “deeply grieved” and “saddened” by the “prolonged history of theft.”

“Father Oscar admitted that he had taken the Collection bags and had been doing so for some time,” the bishop said in another letter, saying Diaz had read and approved the church’s statements about the thefts.

“I expressed to him my deep sadness, anger and dismay,” the bishop wrote, insisting he was “determined” to prosecute.

But police are reluctant to pursue the case, the diocese claims.

“After an initial investigation and several interviews, the police determined that the protocols surrounding collection accounting would make it difficult to arrive at sufficient proof of theft to pursue criminal prosecution,” Vasa told parishioners.

Vasa added that the diocese was not planning to pursue criminal prosecution at this time, because of the cost involved.

Kenya's finance minister, top officials arrested on graft charges

Kenya's finance minister Henry Rotich, was arrested today July 22nd alongside other top officials over allegations of embezzlement related to the construction of two dams.

The charges ranging from conspiring to defraud and financial misconduct, came off a police investigation into the misuse of funds in a dam project overseen by the Italian construction company CMC Di Ravenna. 

Though Mr Rotich denied any wrongdoing in a large newspaper advert in March, Director of public prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered his arrest and that of more than 20 other people accused of being involved in the contract, including other top officials and the directors of CMC de Ravenna.

“They broke the law on public finance management under the guise of carrying out legitimate commercial transactions, colossal amounts were unjustifiably and illegally paid out through a well choreographed scheme by government officers in collusion with private individuals and institutions,” Haji told a news conference.

The two dams were budgeted to cost 46 billion shillings (446 million dollars), he said, but the treasury borrowed far more.

“The national treasury negotiated a commercial facility increasing the amount to approximately 63 billion shillings – which is 17 billion more than necessary or required, payable on a timely basis without regard to a performance or works,” Noordin Haji said. 

Reuters reported that Rotich’s arrest confirms the growing distance between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. Rotich was appointed at Ruto’s request.