Nollywood Director Challenges Patience Ozokwor To Name Randy Producers

June 30, 2016

A budding movie producer, Desmond Utomwen, has challenged veteran actress, Patience Ozokwor, to name the producers she accused of demanding for sex from young female actresses before handing them roles in movies.
Utomwen, who spoke to journalists, said that anybody with verifiable information about the much rumour sex boom in the Nollywood should step out and make the information public as part of the steps to ensure sanity in the Nigeria movie industry.

Utomwen, who recently added the much celebrated short film: “Shared,” to the list of his works, maintained that such a blanket accusation by Ozokwor puts the integrity of producers in the country to question and portrays them as coquettish.
This, according to Utomwen, is an unfair statement to the decent fold and is unacceptable.
“If it is true that the respected actress made such a statement, I think the least she can do now is to substantiate same. I don’t subscribe to wild allegations. While I am not defending the supposed ‘unscrupulous producers’ should there be any, I believe the allegations by Ozokwor, if substantiated will help the sanitization process of the Nigeria movie industry.”

Ozokwor had reportedly in an exclusive interview with a tabloid, accused movie producers of sexually abusing young girls.
“Things are not working the way they ought to because producers are messing up. Some go as far as sleeping with young girls before giving them roles,” the veteran actress reportedly said. [myad]

Court Orders INEC To Recognize Modu Sheriff’s Candidates In Edo, Ondo

Greenbarge Reporters

June 30, 2016

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting list of candidates for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo from other leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) except from the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC).

Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling also granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining INEC, the PDP and their agents from dealing with or according any facility required by law (regarding the gubernatorial elections to be conducted by INEC in Edo and Ondo states) to any other persons or group other than the Sheriff, Prof. Wale Oladipo and Fatai Adeyanju -led NWC of the party

The judge directed INEC and the PDP and their agents to “recognize, deal with and accord all facilities required by law on the Sheriff group.

Justice Abang further directed INEC and the PDP to “reject and ignore any activity (including primary elections/congresses for the nomination of candidates for the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, purportedly conducted on behalf of the 2nd defendant (PDP) by any other persons or group of persons other than the Sheriff group.

The judge said that the interlocutory orders are to subsist pending the determination of the substantive suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016 filed by two governorship aspirants of the PDP in Edo and Ondo States – Chief Benson Akingboye (Ondo) and Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma (Edo). [myad]

American University Of Nigeria Begins School Of Law

Greenbarge Reporters

June 30, 2016

The American University of Nigeria has received a full approval by the National Universities Commission and the Council for Legal Education to start her innovative LL.B programme.
Admission into the LL.B programme for the 2016/2017 academic session is already in progress.
Nigeria’s certifying authority for law programmes, the Council for Legal Education, had at a full Council meeting on June 28 ratified the decision of its Board of Studies to approve the School of Law at AUN.
The AUN School of Law is the fourth school of the 11-year-old development university – following the schools of Information Technology and Computing, Business and Entrepreneurship and Arts and Sciences.
Before the Board’s approval, CLE had conducted a resource verification exercise on AUN’s state-of-the-art facilities, close on the heels of a similar exercise by the National Universities Commission, which regulates university education in Nigeria.
AUN’s President, Dr. Margee Ensign, expressing the sentiments of the AUN community, said: “The American University of Nigeria is pleased and proud that the Council for Legal Education has approved the launch of our new School of Law. AUN, Africa’s first ‘Development University’, will bring an innovative and important dimension to legal education in Nigeria.”
Modelled on the American liberal arts tradition of a broad education and critical thinking, the AUN law courses reinforce the development philosophy of AUN and will be enriched by the University’s extensive international faculty.
The law curriculum embraces humanitarian studies, gender, alternative dispute resolution, environmental law, HIV and the Law, Gender and Development, Energy and Natural Resources Law, and Technology and the Law, among its novel courses that distinguish AUN’s unique approach to legal education.
The Dean of the AUN School of Law, Professor Oladejo Justus Olowu, who held top faculty positions in South African universities before coming to lead the AUN programme, believes that positive change will be triggered in the nation’s legal education system.
“We went abroad and acquired comparative benefits in the study and applications of law, which is what we have all brought together in birthing the potpourri of multicultural ideas. There is no university in Nigeria that has a program on the intercourse between law and bioethics or biotechnology; we discovered this from the best practices around the world.”
He said AUN is going to produce a new generation of lawyers that will do the right thing, adding: “our own law graduates are going to be alternative dispute practitioners and comprehensive attorneys: arbitrators, conciliators, mediators, and negotiators. We are going to do things differently and innovatively. Nigerians will soon feel the impact of the first generation of lawyers to emerge from the AUN.
“You only hear lawyers speak about gender equality, but no lawyer in Nigeria went through a law program that has the gender content.”
The AUN law program will be the first, Olowu added, “…to develop a law programme that is having law, society, and development as a module. You know that development discourses have been left to economists, development theorists, and policy analysts; it has never been a subject for schools of law in Nigeria.” [myad]

NIMASA Seeks Partnership With The United States Government

Greenbarge Reporters

June 30, 2016

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has called on the United States Government to partner the Agency in the area of capacity building in continuation of the drive to reposition the Agency and establish partnerships for the sustainable growth and development.

The Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside who spoke when he received the Consul General of the United States in Lagos, Mr. John Bray at the Agency’s Head Office, however, acknowledged the long standing relationship between the two countries and other existing bilateral agreements.

He said that the Nigerian government will need the assistance of the United States government in the area of technology driven security surveillance as well as human capacity building.

He said that the business of shipping is global and having done so well for themselves in this area, Nigeria can benefit from the experiences of the Americans in order to harness the potentials in the nation’s maritime domain.

“The need for sharing ideas cannot be overstated, because shipping is a global business that links economies of the world together and Nigeria can learn from the experience of the United States. We are currently repositioning the maritime industry and our dream is to be the hub of maritime activities in Africa.”

The NIMASA boss appealed to the United States representative to assist in the area of training and recruiting of the Nigeria Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) cadets to the USA marine Navy in order to enhance their competency and skills.

Earlier in his remarks, the Consul General, Mr. John Bray said that they are interested in the status of the co-operation between the two countries and also opportunities available in collaborating together.

While also responding to the Director General’s requests, Mr. Bray expressed the readiness of the United States to leverage on the already existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both countries to collaborate with the Agency and Nigeria at large towards achieving a vibrant and business friendly maritime environment.

The envoy who was accompanied by the Political Adviser in the Consulate Mr. Nicholas D. Austin commended the Director General for his efforts so far in the Agency and promised to continue to engage the Agency for a mutually beneficial relationship. [myad]

Buhari Lists Qualities Of Late Ojo Madueke, Mourns Tobi, Elechi

Greenbarge Reporters

June 30, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has listed the good qualities of the Nigerian former Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Madueke, who died on Wednesday at the Nnamdi International airport, Abuja at the age of 71.

The President also mourned Justice Nikki Tobi, retired Supreme Court judge and Elechi Amadi, a literary icon.

A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu on Thursday said that all his years of service to Nigeria as a diplomat, minister, politician and ambassador, Madueke displayed his love for the unity of Nigeria and gave all to that pursuit.

The President said that as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Madueke’s relentless call to citizen diplomacy and for Nigerians to be treated with dignity across the globe will continue to inspire other patriotic people to promote a positive international image of the country.

In his tribute to Justice Nikki Tobi, the President described him as a brave jurist who served Nigeria creditably and brought his many years of training, knowledge and wisdom to the Bench.

The President also joined the literary and academic community in mourning Amadi whose writings and postulations as a novelist, poet and playwright introduced many generations of the world to the vibrant Nigerian culture.

In paying homage to the Man of Letters, visionary and venerated elder who dedicated his life to values of peace, equality, dignity and the reading culture in Nigeria, the President believed that the passing away of Amadi is as much a loss to Nigeria and Africa as it is to the world.

The President said that the outpouring of grief and tribute across Nigeria and beyond is a testament of the high degree of respect and acceptance Amadi commanded around the world.

He prayed to God to grant the souls of the departed citizens eternal rest and comfort their families, friends and admirers. [myad]

Catholic Splits Into 2, Pope Francis Accused Of Spreading Confusion, Error

Greenbarge Reporters

June 30, 2016

The Catholic sect in Christianity has split into two, with the other one, known as traditional group accusing Pope Francis of spreading confusion and errors about the faith.

The breakaway tradition group has joined a chorus of conservative criticism over his perceived lax doctrine and emphasis on mercy at the expense of morals.

A statement from the schismatic Society of St. Pius X suggested that a new attempt at reconciliation with Rome had stalled, or that the society itself was divided over next steps and decided at least to take a hard line against Francis.

The statement, issued after a meeting of the society’s superiors, said its members weren’t primarily looking for a legal resolution to their schismatic status but eager to return Catholic tradition to a church where “great and painful confusion” currently reigns.

It said that errors had made their way into doctrine “that are unfortunately encouraged by a large number of pastors, including the pope himself.”

“The Society of St. Pius X prays and does penance for the pope, that he might have the strength to proclaim Catholic faith and morals in their entirety,” it said.

The late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the society in 1969, opposed to the Second Vatican Council’s modernizing reforms. In 1988, the Vatican excommunicated Lefebvre and four other bishops after Lefebvre consecrated them without papal consent.

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI had made reconciling a priority, but three years of doctrinal talks collapsed in 2012. Talks resumed in 2014 and Francis met with the head of the society, Bishop Bernard Fellay, in April, signaling possible progress.

But Francis is no friend of Catholic traditionalists. He has riled them and other conservatives with a host of comments they say are sowing confusion about core church teachings on family, sex and other hot-button issues.

Francis fueled those criticisms this month during an off-the-cuff session with Rome priests and laity, where he criticized rigid readings of doctrine and suggested that he approved of pre-marital cohabitation so young couples know what they’re getting into when they marry.

“I have seen so much loyalty in these cohabitations, so much loyalty, and I’m sure that this is a true marriage, they have the grace of marriage simply because of the loyalty that they have,” he said.

Such couples, he has argued, should be accompanied by church pastors and encouraged to enter into a sacramental marriage, not shunned as people living in sin.

In its statement, the society said the resolution of its status “cannot happen without the support of a pope who concretely favors the return to sacred tradition,” but regardless it would continue working to spread the faith. [myad]

Ojo Madueke Collapses, Dies At Abuja Airport

Greenbarge Reporters

June 29, 2016

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and a onetime minister of foreign affairs, Chief Ojo Madueke is dead. He was 71.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary Board of Trustee (BoT) died in Abuja on Wednesday evening after he collapsed at theay from the United States (US).

Madueke had also served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Culture under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He worked as the deputy director of PDP presidential campaign 2011 Goodluck/Sambo ticket. He was nominated for the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), but was subsequently dropped following criticism by eastern people.

Previously, Maduekwe had been appointed Culture and Tourism minister by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. He was appointed Minister of Transport in 2001.

In this position, he advocated greater use of bicycles, although critics said that the roads were unsafe for cyclists and Maduekwe himself was pushed into a ditch by a bus while he was cycling to work. [myad]

It’s Not National Assembly That Is On Trial For Forgery, Babachir Reminds Saraki, Ike

Greenbarge Reporters

June 29, 2016

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal, has made it clear that the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu as well as others is not the same thing as the trial of the entire National Assembly as the two leaders would want the world to believe.

Babachir, who reacted to statements credited to Saraki and Ekweremadu, described the remarks by the two leaders that there is now a cabal running the government of President Muhammadu Buhari as uncomplimentary, adding that rather than drag the entire National Assembly structure into the case, it must be stated that only Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and a Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Ben Efeturi, are the only ones on trial.
In the statement he personally signed, Lawal said: “Since the arraignment of the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and, his Deputy Senator Ike Ekweremadu before the Federal High Court on Monday, June 27, 2016, the two leaders of the Senate, have issued two separate press statements conveying messages that are far from being complementary to the person and government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Senator Saraki in his statement clearly insinuated that Mr. President is not in control of his administration and that a cabal now runs the federal administration. On the part of Senator Ekweremadu, he insists that President Buhari is exhibiting dictatorial tendencies that can derail our democracy.
“From their statements, the two leaders of the Senate also gave this erroneous impression that by their arraignment, it is the entire Senate and indeed, the Legislative Arm of Government that is on trial. They want the public to believe that their prosecution is utter disregard by the Executive Arm of government for the constitutional provisions of separation of powers and that preferring the forgery case against them is a vendetta exercise.
“Since this case is in court, the Judiciary should be allowed to do its job. However, it is important to emphasize that this case involves only the four accused persons and should not be presented to the unsuspecting public as involving the entire Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The complaint leading to the forgery investigation was reported to the Police by some aggrieved Senators who specifically accused certain persons. It is not the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is involved and definitely not the House of Representatives. To bring the National Assembly as a body into this court case is totally unwarranted. It can only be for other purposes and reasons outside the investigation and legal proceedings.
“A case of forgery is usually preferred against individuals. This is not different. As was the case with a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who was accused of certificate forgery, what he did was to resign, honourably. The matter did not even go to court. In that particular case, it was never orchestrated as a matter for the National Assembly. The individual involved did not drag the entire Legislature into the matter.
“Meanwhile the separate statements by the Senate President and his Deputy are indeed contradictory. While Senator Saraki believes Mr. President has abdicated his powers and that a cabal is in charge of Federal Administration, Senator Ekweremadu says President Buhari has become a dictator.
“Our democracy is still evolving and being deepened. The provisions of the separation of powers are entrenched in our Constitution and should guide everyone in our conduct. The rule of law is indeed supreme. This particular case is before the judiciary and is not being decided by the Executive Arm of Government. All that has transpired is still within the confines of our laws. These are the rights to accuse, to be investigated and be arraigned before the court. To impute other considerations to the process is unfortunate. We should allow the process to take its course, in consonance with the dictates of the law and total obeisance to the cardinal democratic principle of the separation of powers.” [myad]

Modu Sheriff Says Court Did Not Sack Him, Describes Media Report As Mischievous

Greenbarge Reporters

June 29, 2016

The embattle national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has made it clear that he had never been sacked by any court in Nigeria, describing report in some section of the media as mischievous.

A statement on Tuesday by his spokesman Inuwa Bwala, Modu Sheriff said that the media report might have emanated from the wishful calculations of some desperate politicians seeking to take over the leadership of the PDP through the back door, adding: “we state as a matter of fact that nothing could be further from the truth in all the reports.

“Ali Modu Sheriff was not a party in the said suit, neither was his name mentioned anywhere in the ruling. It should also be taken note of that there was no consequential order in that ruling to warrant the attendant insinuations. It is worthy of note that the law does not take implied effects on people.”

The embattled PDP leader said that the court merely voided the processes leading to the amendment of the PDP constitution in 2014, while his emergence was covered by the provisions of the amendment of that same constitution of 2012.

“We therefore call on the public especially teaming members of the Peoples Democratic Party, nationwide to disregard the reports, purported to have been informed by a court ruling. We commend those media houses that quickly withdrew the reports from their bulletins on realizing that it was a mere mischief.” [myad]

Multiple Deaths In Borno IDP Camps: Buhari Angry With Governor Shettima

Greenbarge Reporters

June 29, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari is sadi to be disturbed by and angry with the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima over the multiple deaths of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in some camps.

The President summoned the Governor for some explanations but when the governor arrived at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Wednesday, he was directed to see the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

Alhaji Shettima who emerged from the office of the Chief of Staff less than 30 minutes after he went in refused to speak to Journalists who had approached him for comments on his mission at the Presidential Villa.

The governor, who looked disturbed, simply walked pass the news men, mumbling that the visit was a private one.
Recall that Doctors Without Borders- (Médecins Sans Frontières), MSF, an international humanitarian aid organization last week, released a statement alongside photographs of grossly malnourished stating that about 24,000 IDPs needed urgent medical attention.

The organization also said that at least 30 people, mostly children are dying every day.

The report, it was gathered, infuriated President Buhari who felt that despite huge funds being spent by the different levels of government as well as donor agencies and philanthropists for the camps and the IDPs, there was poor result to show for it. [myad]

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