Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has commends the acting President for listening to the clarion call of Nigerians and taking action to halt the illegal and anti-democratic siege of the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Security.
Atiku Abubakar said that by firing the Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, the acting President has given meaning to the cries of Nigerians that “we will not tolerate such anti democratic actions.
In a statement by his media office, the former Vice President called on all statesmen and political leaders to put aside partisanship and rally round the acting President during these fragile times for our democracy.
He also called for an independent judicial panel of inquiry, to investigate today’s incidence at the National Assembly to get to the root of the matter so that those responsible can be identified and punished.
“These are delicate times for Nigeria and all lovers of democracy and the rule of law must be extra watchful lest anti-democratic forces take advantage of all we have worked hard to build.” [myad]
The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has directed the termination of the appointment of the Director General of the Directorate of Security Service (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura with immediate effect.
A statement in Abuja today, Tuesday, by the senior special assistant to Osinbajo on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said that Lawal Daura has been directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice.”
The sack is not unconnected with the siege, later in the day, of the National Assembly by men and officers of the DSS, which the Presidency said it had no pre knowledge of. [myad]
‘Of Grand Visions And Grace of God’ is a beautifully written book by Florence Ehinlaiye, to demonstrate that the sky is the limit for a well brought up and groomed girl child.
It is a book of learning, sharing and devotion to the upliftment of the girl child.The story is woven around the true-life story of an unsung heroine who has lived for seventy remarkable years and has through her activities impacted positively on the Nigerian landscape.
The author advertises herself first as a mother, teacher and visionary. But she is much more. Born on 7th May 1948 to the family of Samuel Moniruvwe and Irene Orife of Emevor in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria, she grew up to attain great heights in her life.
She is a product of four iconic schools – The Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ughelli for her West African School Certificate; she also attended the oldest girls’ school in Nigeria, the St Anne’s School, Molete in Ibadan for her Higher School Certificate and capped it up with a University degree at the first and best University in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan. At the university of Benin, she later took a post graduate diploma in education.
Additionally, she is a knight of Sabongida Ora Diocese and a Chief – the Oniemo of Uzere Kingdom.
Described by those who know her closely as a “teacher extraordinaire”, Dame Florence-Ehinlaiye is passionate about education/teaching, anchoring her beliefs on the notion that good parenting is of essence. This is reflected in her writings, notably her first book – The Girl Child, published in 2005.
Of Grand Visions And God’s Grace was written to celebrate her land mark age – the Biblical three scores and ten age attained on May 7 2018. It is her memoirs, the story of her life. It reflects her struggles, the ups and downs she faced in the past seventy years.
The 272-page book with a forward by John NevboyeriOrife, Ph.D. Associate Professor of management Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, is divided into 12 pages. There are also numerous pictures and is rounded up with a basketful of tributes to the Dame.
Written in excellent prose, the book is a testimony of the sound educational background of the author. The opening pages deal with her roots, her parentage and ethnic background. Then she talks about her brothers and sisters in detail, giving a profile of almost all of them including even cousins. Thus, from the very beginning, you have the picture of the author as somebody who cherishes her family background – a value that most educated people in Nigeria have carelessly jettisoned today.
The author evidently has very high regards for her father who positively influenced her successful career as a student, teacher and school proprietress. Her father’s ambition she writes, was to go to Kings College Lagos but when things didn’t work out, he settled for a Teachers Certificate. As a teacher, he attained great heights for in her words, “he emerged as the first Grade One Teacher in the then Eastern Urhobo Council Area, now called Isoko North and South Local Government Areas.”
“SMO, as he was called by friends, was an avid reader. He regularly subscribed to the British READERS DIGEST. This impacted my reading interests in many ways. The Readers Digest had a section on new words/vocabulary. My dad although was not a graduate was more knowledgeable than many doctoral graduates then and today. Education for him was key.”
At the age of seventy, the authorexhibits an amazing memory of past events in the book. For instance,she remembers the antics of her stubborn younger brother Jacob who would not accept her seniority but challenged her “over any, and every issue while growing up.” She also remembers the unique pleasure on that day in Ondo in the early 50’s when she felled him in a wrestling bout, a victory that secured respect for her as an elder in the eyes of the stubborn Jacob. She also remembers the white sweater she wore on 29th July 1973 when she took a flight to London and that it was a gift from Mrs Ajayi.
But it is not always sweet memories that the reader will find in her memoirs. She tells the story of her unfair three months suspension in her final year in secondary school in 1968 – the year she was to sit for her West African School Certificate examinations. The students had staged a strike and gone on rampage over poor food. As the Head Girl, she was punished for her inability to stop the commotion. Similarly, she recounts vividly the events around the sad deaths of her father just when she was about to enter the university and her brothers – Harding and Odafe.
There are also chapters devoted to her landmark achievements. She goes into the details of the obstacles she faced in establishing her dream model school. Her doggedness and never give up spirit saw her through and finally the Twin Fountain School started operating in 1985. From its modest beginning in a rented property, the school has grown from strength to strength, moved into its permanent site and produced world class record breaking students.At the 10th Anniversary celebration of Twin Fountain, she records that the special guest of honour was Chief E K Clerk who was the Commissioner for Education in Mid West State when the Ministry suspended her for three months in the year she was to write her West African School Certificate Examinations.
There is also a chapter on her services to humanity most notably in the International Lions Club, in the professional and academic associations such as APSON, SOFSON and NAPPS.
The book also includes an insertion of excerpts from her first book –The Girl Child.
The memoirs are finally confirmed by the testimonies of many of those who grew up with her, went to school together, met her in the work environment or lived as neighbours etc. They all testify to her exemplary qualities. For example, Hon Justice Roseline Bozimo, OFR, Administrator, National Judicial Institute Abuja has this to say about her:
“A woman who carved a niche for herself in her fatherland, a woman whose name has become a household name, a popular but God fearing woman. My darling Oniemo, you are a woman of honour, a woman of high standards, a visionary, a mother, a hard worker and that you are good is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others.”
The book contains a few errors, mostly proof reading errors that are popularly referred to as the ‘printers devil’. These errors do not in any way subtract from the high objectives and quality of the book. It is a book about the struggle of a single minded and determined lady to leave a better world than the one in which she was born. Any struggle that is not documented is not worth it.
Of Grand Visions and God’s Grace is thus a worthwhile enterprise.
The Senate majority leader, Ahmed Lawal has advised his fellow lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly to reconvene immediately to consider some urgent matters of national importance if they are not to be seen as working against the interest of Nigerians.
Speaking to newsmen today, Monday after a closed door meeting with the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential Villa, Abuja, Senator Lawal said: “if we don’t reconvene and pass the request, what that means is that we have turned against this country; we are stalling the administration and invariably, fighting the people because the people want us to do those things that will make them happy.
The Senate leader stressed the importance and urgency of reconvening the two chambers of the national assembly to immediately pass the virement on the supplementary budget which President Muhammadu Buhari presented recently to the Senate.
“It is important that whatever crisis we have in the Senate and indeed in the national assembly, that Nigerians don’t suffer. We as politicians can do anything, it is a parliamentary practice. In fact, in Parliament, worse things could happen but Parliaments that are responsible and responsive will always take into account the national interest, work assiduously to ensure that the country does not suffer.
“Here in our case, we have our budget suffering, we are not able to implement anything today because, we are not able as a legislature, the national assembly pass the request of Mr. President. “So I believe that we should be on the same page with Nigerians. We are not aliens; we are representing Nigerians. Therefore what Nigerians want today is for this administration to provide those essentials that it has promised and it has started providing. That we should plan properly for free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.
Senator Ahmed Lawal aid that there is also the issue concerning the 2018 budget which capital aspect will be largely funded by foreign facilities, loans, adding that the Senate needs to approve such loans.
“We also need to approve other important and essential requests, especially that of INEC and other security agencies for our security to be improved.
“If we don’t reconvene to address those issues, the government will get stalled and I believe that if we are able to pass the supplementary budget and virement request from Mr. President, this will enable our administration to provide the various infrastructure that we have planned to provide for Nigerians and also all the other aspects of national development.
“To do otherwise will lead to sabotage this administration; will lead to sabotage democracy itself because if we cannot provide the essentials for Nigerians, if we cannot provide funds for INEC to plan for the 2019 elections, what do we call ourselves?
“Certainly, in the case of INEC for example, INEC could pick some items on the shelves but there are so many important and essential items that INEC will have to place order that could take about two to three months.
“So I believe that my colleagues are listening and we should be able to reconvene in the next few days for us to pass the budget request of Mr. President as quickly as possible.”
Former NNigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo refused to bless the former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who had gone to seek for his blessing as he prepares to contest for the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 elections.
Sule Lamido had arrived, along with members of his national campaign council yesterday, at the Olusegun Obasanjo national library Abeokuta, Ogun State to ask for Obasanjo’s blessings on his presidential aspiration in 2019.
But Obasanjo, after listening to his former foreign affairs minister, said: “as a former minister of foreign affairs, Sule knows the world and knows how to relate with other countries of the world.
“I was so happy and elated by what I saw in Jigawa state when you became a Governor. Sule, I don’t have any doubt about your attributes, your capacity, your courage, your interest about your state and Nigeria at large. Sule you can do it and you can do it well.”
Sule Lamido had earlier told Obasanjo: “I have nothing to tell you about me because you know me more than anybody. I have come to greet you, brief you, seek for your blessings and ask for your fatherly advice.”
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the defection of Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, to the ruling party as the beginning of the end of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Eze, a former member of PDP who dumped the party in 2014 to become foundation member of APC, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that Senator Akapbio deserves commendation “for acting wisely and jumping out of the crashing PDP train before it finally crashes.
“Knowing Akapbio very well, he is a one-man Tsunami and with him in the progressives train, PDP’s end is only a matter of time. What is more, with Akpabio now in APC, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who recently made the mistake of defecting to PDP, can be sure that his Presidency of the Senate is only a matter of weeks.
Eze Chukwuemeka, who once served as National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New PDP, described the present sorry state of PDP under the control of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Prince Uche Secondus as most unfortunate.
He said that Wike, who was a mere local government chairman in 1999, has through deft political scheming turned many key Nigerian leaders now in PDP into his disciples, even as he wondered how great leaders like General Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Saraki, Governor Aminu Tambwual and even Uche Secondus could stoop so low to be taking orders from Governor Wike, whose brand of politics is retrogressive.
Eze advised these great Nigerians and others in PDP to beware of Wike, “who has mastered the art of pocketing any political leader that comes his way.”
A former Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido has made it clear that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is set to return to power in 2019.
Sule Lamido, who is one of the PDP’s Presidential aspirants, said that the ruling party APC has failed Nigerians who are currently battling with hunger and poverty.
The Presidential hopeful, who spoke to news men yesterday, Monday, shortly after attending a meeting with PDP leaders and members in Ogun, said: “we are on course in the effort to make sure the party in 2019 win the presidential election and in every state of the country.”
He advised the electorate to get their voter cards ready in a bid to vote “a more credible party into power, come 2019.″
Ezi-Esugu clan in Eganyi, Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi State, has dragged the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and others before the State High Court, Lokoja, the State capital over a chieftaincy tussle.
Joined in a Motion Ex parte No. HCL/406M/2018, dated July 20, 2018, are the State government, the Attah of Igala land, the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, State Ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs, the Ohi of Eganyi, Chairman and acting Head of the three clans in Eganyi traditional council and Mohammed Adambe.
The Motion Ex parte, which was filed by five aggrieved plaintiffs: Chief Abubakar O. Sadiq, Nathaniel Ayoku, Moses O. Peter, Yusuf Idris Sadiq and Aliyu Salami, prayed the court to restrain the governor and his agents from installing Mohammed Dambe, whose name the governor recently announced as Adogu of Eganyi.
In the Motion, the plaintiffs sought an interim injunction restraining the defendants and or their agents, whether by itself or through any of its representatives, agents, privies, cronies, whosoever and howsoever, from installing and or presentation of staff of office to Mohammed Adembe pending the final hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice.
Giving a quick ruling in the motion on August 2nd, Thursday last week, the presiding Judge, Justice S O. Otu granted the plaintiffs’ prayer, saying: “all parties are ordered to maintain the status quo as at today pending the hearing of the motion fixed for 2nd day of August, 2018.”
Following the ruling, the secretary of the aggrieved clan, Yusuf Idris Sadiq wrote to the security agencies, including the police, drawing their attention to the danger in allowing any of the defendants to violate the court ruling.
In a letter specifically addressed to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Adogo, Ajaokuta local government, the secretary said that information reaching him indicated that there is arrangement by the Ohi of Eganyi, one of the defendants, to violate the court order by commencing the installation process.
“We therefore wish to use this medium to appeal to your good office for quick intervention to enforce this court order in the interest of peace and order.” [myad]
Canadian Prime minister, Canada PM Justin Trudeau and Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman
The Saudi Arabia has given the Canadian Ambassador 24 hours within which to pack his things and leave the country over a serious diplomatic row.
The Saudi government also announced the suspension of new trade and investment in retaliation to the Canadian’s foreign ministry asking Riyadh to release arrested civil rights activists.
In a statement released to the official Saudi Press Agency yesterday, Sunday, the Saudi authorities also recalled its own ambassador to Canada.
The statement by the Saudi foreign ministry said: “it’s rights to take further action.”
The Saudi ministry had been briefed that the Canadian foreign ministry and the Canadian embassy urged the Saudi authorities to “immediately release” civil rights activists, the statement said.
Canadian foreign ministry officials were not available for an immediate comment on Sunday.
Last Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia had arrested women’s rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah, the latest two to be swept up in a government crackdown on activists, clerics and journalists. More than a dozen women’s rights activists have been targeted since May.
On Friday, Canada said it was “gravely concerned” about the arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia, including Badawi, the sister of jailed dissident blogger Raif Badawi.
“We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful human rights activists,” Global Affairs Canada said on its Twitter feed.
Raif Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar lives in Canada and recently became a Canadian citizen.
Most of those arrested campaigned for the right to drive and an end to the country’s male guardianship system, which requires women to obtain the consent of a male relative for major decisions.
The Saudi statement said it confirmed its commitment to refrain from intervening in the internal matters of other countries, including Canada, and in return rejected any intervention in its domestic affairs and internal relations with its citizens.
“Any further step from the Canadian side in that direction will be considered as acknowledgement of our right to interfere in the Canadian domestic affairs,” the statement said.
In 2014, the Canadian unit of U.S. weapons maker General Dynamics Corp won a contract worth up to $13 billion to build light-armoured vehicles for Saudi Arabia, in what Ottawa said at the time was the largest advanced manufacturing export win in Canadian history. [myad]
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‘Of Grand Visions And Grace of God’ is a beautifully written book by Florence Ehinlaiye, to demonstrate that the sky is the limit for a well brought up and groomed girl child.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the defection of Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, to the ruling party as the beginning of the end of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A former Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido has made it clear that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is set to return to power in 2019.
