The popular Lagos beautician, @houseofphreedahskincare tried to jump into the Lagos Lagoon Thursday, but was saved by some people who noticed the incident.
It would be recalled that Faridah Sobowale just got separated from her husband Ademola after 41 days of marriage.
The scandal had been trending on social media
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, and appointment of Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as its head.
Jamoh said that with the creation of this “long overdue ministry” it will give a massive boost to plans and programmes the President intends to deploy.
While expressing optimism that the maritime industry is large enough to engage the teeming youths in the country adequately, he urged them to take advantage of the opportunities in the Nigerian maritime sector.
He said, “I want to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry and appointing Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to man its affairs. There are new opportunities around us, and I’m glad Nigeria, with the creation of this ministry, will explore the concept of the blue economy.
“The blue economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. Blue Economy Activities include Maritime shipping, Fishing & aquaculture, Coastal tourism, Renewable energy, Water desalination, Undersea cabling, Seabed extractive industries & deep sea mining, Marine genetic resources, and Biotechnology.
““Honestly, this ministry is long overdue, more importantly, to support the diversification of the economy. Efficient management and sustainable exploitation of the marine resources in our seas and oceans, no doubt, provide a veritable tool for Economic Growth.” Jamoh said.
A federal High Court judge, Nicholas Oweibo has slammed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for being lawless by disobeying court orders.
The judge spoke in Lagos on Thursday while striking out the case of illegal possession of firearms against suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The court struck out the case after the federal government said it will no longer proceed with it.
Emefiele has since been charged on a 20-count charge bordering on procurement abuse while he was CBN boss.
On Thursday, his arraignment by the DSS was stalled after a co-accused, Saadat Yaro failed to show up during their arraignment at an Abuja High court.
While striking out the case of illegal firearm possession against Emefiele, Justice Uweibo chided the federal government for not being law-abiding and disrespecting the court.
Recall that the judge had last month granted a 20 million bail to Emefiele, but the DSS who has held him for over two months following his removal from office by President Tinubu on June 9, refused to obey the order.
The former CBN Governor has been in the custody of the DSS since June 9.
Ruling yesterday on the application by the DSS for the illegal firearm possession to be struck out, Justice Oweibo said doing so will not make any difference in the case of Emefiele who is still being held by the DSS against a subsisting court order.
The Judge Slammed FG: “The prosecution has shown signs that they are not law-abiding and have no respect for the court.
“The court cannot force them. What good will it be for the defendant who is in custody?
“Of what benefit will it be to keep the file in the court’s docket?
“I believe the proper thing is to allow them to withdraw the charge. They can simply abandon it and the court will still have to strike it out for lack of diligent prosecution. The application to withdraw is hereby granted.”
Meanwhile, the embattled CBN governor could not be arraigned in court yesterday following the absence in court of his co-accused, Sa’adatu Yaro, on a fresh 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud.
Emefiele has been charged by the DSS over N6.9 billion procurement fraud, conspiracy, and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates, including Yaro alongside, and her company, April 1616 Investment Limited.
By Oguwike Nwachuku
Last week, I read an opinion piece written by the Publisher of Trumpeta, Mr. Henry Ekpe. The Trumpeta is a local tabloid based in Owerri.
The summary of the opinion is that Ekpe was using it to seek attention. I want to believe he got the attention he badly craved from his miniscule audience with the barefaced lies, innuendos, animated craftiness that belied his article.
The initial idea was to ignore Ekpe based on his confession that we are friends, including the Governor.
But realising that he was on a deliberate mission to undermine the integrity of my Principal, Governor Hope Uzodimma, his Government and his officials, it became imperative that Ekpe’s audience were fed with the right information, contrary to his underhand, mischievous, malicious and calculated subterfuge that he tried to buffet them with.
Those who read Ekpe between the lines will come to the sad, but factual conclusion that all he wasted his time lamenting in nearly 2000 words was that Governor Uzodimma with perhaps his Government, has not given him attention as Publisher and stakeholder in Imo State, perhaps the way those who ran the affairs of the State before now did. Whatever that means!
Putting it in the language the ordinary man would understand, Ekpe was weeping that the Governor is not carrying him and the Journalists in Imo State along. Unfortunately, he knows that the crocodile tears was a big lie. I shall return to that shortly.
Let me paraphrase some of Ekpe’s claims so that we have a clearer understanding of his mindset while he wrote.
Hear him: “By the end of November, Senator Hope Uzodinma would have completed his first term as the Governor of Imo State, yet he has not met Journalists based in Imo State in any interactive session…
He had several times met with Journalists from outside Imo State, but he has not deemed it necessary to have an interface with the Media men based in the State he has operated in for nearly four years now…
“It sounds ridiculously incredible, that Governor Hope Uzodinma has never, for the first time, since three years, addressed Imo Journalists in a press conference. How he thought that all (those) his Media friends who used to parley with him in the early twenties have all left Imo State, or died is still a mystery…
“Therefore, it will be a bad record that Uzodinma led Imo State for four years and never made out time to speak with Imo based Journalists …
“During the Udenwa era, Journalists in the State enjoyed a lot, despite the fact that the State was just coming out from the hangover of Military Regime …
“It was Udenwa’s administration that introduced ‘stipends’ for Journalists in the State, to at least help them offset some of their daily expenses…
“Ohakim could call the names of all journalists in the State. He invited them for every personal functions in Okohia, Isiala Mbano LGA. He was their delight because he was ever ready for any question…
“The Journalists’ personal close relationship with the Governor made my job easier, since they would be hurting their friend if they published what was unpalatable and unfounded…
“Governor Okorocha, despite his ‘stubbornness’ and unorthodox ways of doing things never spent a month without interacting with Imo Journalists …
“The occasions held either in the Bush Bar in Government House, his Spibat private home in Owerri, Ogboko his village home, or NUJ Press Centre, Owerri…
“During Christmas or the stakeholders meetings held every New Year, Udenwa, Ohakim and Okorocha invited, not only NUJ hierarchy, but Publishers in Imo, and other Senior Journalists.
Not anymore. Today, Journalists in Imo are not stakeholders, including Publishers …
“Even the seven months Ihedioha spent in office, he met Journalists in his Owerri residence once, and his Mbaise home to interact with them…
“Unfortunately, since the Uzodinma era, to see the Governor for interaction becomes a problem. Either those managing his image prefers (sic) ‘Outside Media’ or don’t want the “Home Based” Journalists meet their Governor or the Governor himself don’t (sic) want to meet them…”
Before we evaluate the above excerpts, it is important the readers are given a faint idea of the man Henry Ekpe.
Ekpe is not just a card carrying member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He has always been an official of the PDP at the national and state levels. In Imo State, where his political godfathers and benefactors hold sway, he sees himself as part of the opposition PDP fighting the government of the day dirty, with violence and contrived insecurity to wrest power from Governor Uzodimma.
Therefore, Ekpe as a Publisher, publishes and writes from where he appears. He publishes and writes from the perspective or the bias of his benefactors and not necessarily based on his professional conviction/training as a Journalist/Publisher that he professes.
The journalism profession that every trained practitioner, including yours sincerely, knows of is noble and that is to the extent that the sanctity of truth must, at all times, be upheld, at least by the practitioners. Facts, we were thought in the journalism school, are sacred and regarded as the basis upon which the believability or otherwise of the journalist’s report rests. The popular refrain or maxim, if you are in doubt, you leave out, remains incontrovertible. Anything to the contrary is balderdash, hogwash, hearsay, unfounded rumour, false, fake barefaced lies, et al.
Sadly, my friend, Ekpe chose to travel that route to get at Governor Uzodimma, his Government and officials. I don’t think we will be doing him any good deodarising his mischievous intentions under the cover of a Journalist/Publisher and an acclaimed stakeholder. It is incomprehensible that he sees Governor Uzodimma as his friend, yet subjects him to such covert blackmail.
The truth remains that Governor Uzodimma, contrary to Ekpe’s lies, has met and addressed Imo State based journalists several times since assuming office. Twice he met with them at the Sam Mbakwe Exco Chambers and twice, also, during the annual Media Award/Christmas celebrations interactive session with the whole Journalists in Imo State at the Banquet Hall.
Governor Uzodimma did not just stop at the interaction with the journalists, he has gone a step further to institute, the first in Nigeria, the concept of Media Excellence Awards designed to encourage journalists practicing in Imo. As I write, the Committee for the third edition of the Governor Hope Uzodimma Media Excellence Award is ready. With the event, Journalists practicing in Imo State have the opportunity to win awards in the different areas they have competence in the course of discharging their duties.
Ekpe is aware of all these, but chose to feed Imo people with lies because of his selfish political leaning and the demands of his benefactors whom he sees as political opponents to the Governor, and so ready to do anything they want him to do without weighing the implications.
In all the events where the Governor met with the Journalists in Imo State, Ekpe had invitations extended to him but he chose not to attend, playing the ostrich with his tabloid, the Trumpeta, churning out half truths and propaganda, and at the same time, hiding under the cover of a Publisher to claim ignored as an Imo stakeholder by the Governor.
Regardless, the truth is that if Ekpe lays claim to being a stakeholder in Imo State, he is by all standard correct by virtue of being a former Chief Press Secretary. But the question he must ask himself is what manner of stakeholder is he? Is he a stakeholder who lies glibly against his Governor, his Government and his Aides just to seek attention? Or is he a stakeholder who pays little attention to the issues that ail his State, even with his tabloid, because doing the contrary would hurt the political philosophy and calculations of his benefactors and his own personal interest?
There could have been better ways for Ekpe to walk himself back to the generous heart of Governor Uzodimma, since he said he has been known to the Governor for years, rather than the old style recourse to media blackmail/propaganda as he did in the instant piece.
Writing on “Excessive Ego” in his book – An Essential Guild to Public Speaking – Quention Schultze said: “We all are valuable persons made in God’s image. But we ought not think too highly of ourselves, even if we are relatively fearless speakers. Otherwise, we might let our egos run loose.”
I think Ekpe allowed his ego of being a Journalist/Publisher run loose and that is not a good lesson those he is mentoring should pick.
I am happy that Ekpe made references to the Governments of Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim, Rochas Okorocha and Emeka Ihedioha, and what happened during their days.
Ekpe’s suggestion that the method of media relations that was deployed more than 20 years ago, in the case of the era of Governor Udenwa when few national newspapers were in existence and cell phones, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Twitter, among other gadgets not playing critical role in media practice in Nigeria then be adopted today by Governor Uzodimma, should worry not a few persons.
To even make such suggestion in relation to the era of Governor Ohakim would also amount to committing huge contemporary image making hara-kiri for Government, also going by the ubiquity of media practitioners, both conventional and otherwise and the prevalence of information, communication and technology (ICT)-driven gadgets deployed by today’s journalists.
Even though the era of Governors Okorocha and Ihedioha could be associated with the currency of use of technology for media practice, there is no doubt that there is still no basis for comparison with the madness that everyone experiences today. So, why would Governor Uzodimma depend on templates that would go stale the next moment instead of devising his own, knowing too well we are now in the digital era, the age of technology when things happen in the speed of light?
I am sure if Ekpe realises that I have nearly 1000 journalists on my mailing list as CPS, with more demanding to be added to the existing list coming every passing day, he will come to the conclusion that he was actually on holidays during his era. As unprecedented as the number on my mailing list is, from day one, I promised to run an open door/all inclusive media policy, and that explains why no Journalist in the country with conscience would complain of information hoarding by Uzodimma’s administration. Or are we talking about those with the right to citizen journalism using their android phones?
Senator Uzodimma is a digital compliant Governor and has long queued into the digital era of media practice and image making, often times taking to his social media platforms to propagate his work and views himself. I doubt if that was the situation during the return of democracy when the likes of Governor Udenwa that Ekpe referred to his template were in office.
I need not remind Ekpe of the metamorphosis that had taken place in the Media industry. However, the point should be made that the earlier we embrace the digital world that is today media practice and de-emphasise so much of physical visit in the course of discharging our duties, the better for us so long as communication is flowing in all directions.
As advantageous as technology is, one of the disadvantages is that gadgets have restricted us from where we would have loved to visit, physically.
Ekpe should behave like the stakeholder he said he is. He has nothing to gain by making sweeping statements that are professionally suspicious otherwise he must be prepared to have the spirit responsible for exorcised from him.
To contemplate that anyone can stop the Governor from seeing him or any Journalist for that matter is the most wicked and unconscionable blackmail that could come from someone who says he is friendly to the Governor, his Government and his Media Minders. Et tu Henry Ekpe?
Truth is that Governor Uzodimma has not changed and will not change from being the good friend he has always been to the Journalists. What has changed is time and space and our failure to change along, will mean deliberate decision to remain rustic.
Nwachuku, Governor Uzodimma’s CPS/Media Adviser writes from Owerri
By Ayodele Oni
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has approved the appointment of Engr. Sunday Olanrewaju Komolafe as the new Head of Service in the State Civil Service.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Special Adviser, Media to Ekiti State Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode and made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.
Komolafe, until his new appointment, was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transportation.
He takes over from Barrister Bamidele Agbede, who is billed to retire from the State Civil Service on Friday, August 18th, having attained the mandatory 35years in the service.
Komolafe’s appointment as Head of Service takes effect from Monday, August 21, 2023.
Meanwhile, Governor Oyebanji has commended Barrister Agbede for his meritorious service to the state, especially his demonstrated brilliance, resourcefulness, professionalism and exemplary leadership, which greatly helped in repositioning the State Civil Service for optimal service delivery. The Governor wished Agbede success in his future endeavour.
Komolafe, the new Head of Service holds a Second Class Upper degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ibadan.
He is a chartered and registered Engineer with the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), and a corporate member, Nigerian Society of Engineers.
He started his civil service career with the then Ondo State Civil Service in July 1989. He joined the Ekiti State Civil service in 1996 upon the creation of the state. He served as General Manager of the State Electricity Board between 2002 and 2014.
Komolafe, who hails from Omuo Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area, was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2014.
Prior to his appointment as Head of Service, He had served as Permanent secretary in several Ministries including: Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (2014 – 2016); Office of the Deputy Governor (2016-2020); Ministry of Local Government Affairs (2020-2022); Ministry of Works and Transportation (2022- present).
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed sadness over a series of casualties recorded by the Nigerian military lately describing them as depressing and devastating.
Obi said in a statement via his official Twitter handle that the death of 36 soldiers, reportedly killed in a terrorist ambush in Niger state, and the crash of a military helicopter, on a rescue mission, in the same State is unfortunate and disheartening.
Obi expressed concern over what he described as the deplorable level of insecurity in most parts of the country which, he noted, has continued to embarrass and cost the nation precious lives and properties, with the attendant economic costs.
He also expressed sympathy to the families of the patriotic slain soldiers who, he said, have paid the supreme price for their fatherland in a very painful way, fighting against insecurity in the country.
“The continual loss of lives, of our military men and other citizens, to insecurity is very painful and disgusting. We must unite as a people, to subdue this monster of insecurity threatening our collective existence, without which, no development will be experienced in the country,” Obi said.
While commiserating with the military agencies over the sad incidents, Obi urged them not to be dispirited over the challenges they face, but to see them as the inevitable path to go before achieving a safe and secure nation for all. He said, “I commiserate with our military agencies whose personnel have continued to pay the supreme price, for peace and security in our nation. Remain courageous and resilient in the fight. I would also like to encourage a full-scale investigation to be carried out to unravel the cause of the helicopter crash as a way of preventing future occurrences.”
Obi restated his commitment to ensuring safe and secure Nigerians when given access to power. He maintained that fighting insecurity in Nigeria will remain his top priority if he gets into power. “Fighting insecurity, squarely, remains my priority in the New Nigeria, and so should it be, for long-lasting peace and progress in Nigeria.
“Finally, Obi prayed God to grant eternal rest to the dead, console their families and console us as a nation, over this great loss. We will never give up on our nation. It is our greatest heritage in whose service all our sacrifices become noble acts,” Obi concluded.
By Ayodele Oni
As States are still battling with the sharing formular for 3000 bags of rice as palliatives, the Federal Government has announced a N5 billion palliative for each State of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to cushion the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State, made the announcement in Abuja on Thursday when he spoke to State House correspondents at the end of a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.
Vice President Kashim Shettima presided over the meeting.
The Council is made up of Governors of the 36 States, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other coopted Government officials.
According to him, the meeting considered varying issues, including the Federation’s financial status, general issues, especially but the deployment of palliatives aimed at cushioning the harsh effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
By Ayodele Oni
The University of Calabar( UNICAL) has ratified the suspension of the Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon accused by his female students of se€ual molestation.
Some female students of the Faculty of Law of the institution had on Monday carried placards to protest alleged se€ual molestation by the don who is the Dean of the Faculty.
The Management of UNICAL explained on Thursday that the embattled Dean was suspended for alleged violation of the provisions of the extant laws and policies of the institution.
Report revealed that Prof Ndifon was suspended in 2015 for the same issue, but was said to have cleared himself after a legal tussle.
A letter by the University Registrar, Mr. Gabriel Egbe, said the current suspension takes effect from August 17, 2023.
According to the letter, the suspension came on the heels of the Dean’s response to a query by the University Management which the Vice Chancellor, Professor Florence Obi, was dissatisfied with.
The letter reads; ”Please refer to our letter Ref UC/REG/DISC.45A dated August 14, 2023 on your alleged violation of the provisions of the extant laws and policies of the University and your response to the said letter which was dated 16th August, 2023.
”The Vice-Chancellor has gone through your written representations and is not satisfied with your explanations.
“She has, therefore, directed that you should be relieved of your position as Dean, Faculty of Law and placed on suspension while the matter is referred to a panel that will be set-up to investigate these allegations.
”The relieve of position as Dean, Faculty of Law and suspension from official duties takes effect from August 17, 2023.
“You are to hand over all University property in your possession including all official responsibilities presently handled by you to the Sub-Dean of the Faculty before vacating office.
”You are to stay away from the University premises except while responding to an invitation from the panel investigating these allegations”
By Ayodele Oni
The Ekiti State Government has warned the 7,000 beneficiaries of the relief packages donated to victims of disasters not to sell or divert the materials given to them by Government.
The State Government urged the beneficiaries to use the materials donated through collaboration between the Federal and State Governments judiciously to palliate their sufferings after falling victim of natural disasters.
The Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, gave the warning, on Thursday, while flagging off a federal government’s intervention tagged Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention Programme for victims of disasters in the state.
Afuye revealed that thousands of Ekiti residents have been enumerated by the National emergency Management Agency(NEMA) to benefit from the programme, out of which 7,000 were picked for the first tranche of materials supplied to Ekiti.
She appealed to people to stop blocking the waterways through unwholesome practices that had caused flooding and destruction of lives and property in Ekiti.
The Deputy Governor lamented that reported cases of dumping of refuse inside drainages, building of structures on waterways and keeping of petroleum products inside residential buildings, had been largely responsible for cases of flooding and fire outbreak in the state.
“Let me appeal to our people not to sell or divert these materials for other use. It is to give you relief after suffering some losses. This is not an avenue to make brisk money the way some people used to think.
“I wish to appeal to our citizens to cooperate with government in the prevention of flooding or fire disasters in our state. I encourage you to avoid practices that can cause natural and man-induced disasters in your environment.
“People should desist from building houses on waterways or close streams and rivers. We should also avoid the terrible habit of dropping refuse inside drainages during rainfall.
“Moreover, you are advised not to keep petrol inside residential buildings. These are perhaps the most common causes of flooding and fire disasters.”
Afuye commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the welfare of all Ekiti people through execution of lofty policies that have positively affected the lives of civil servants, artisans, widows, pensioners, driver unions and other strata of the society.
Speaking NEMA director, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, described the distribution of relief materials as part of the rescue mission of the federal government to improve the socio- economic condition of the victims.
Ahmed added that a total of 660,884 households were carefully captured through effective enumeration by NEMA staff to benefit from the palliatives for their quick return to normalcy.
“You may recall the sad incident of the 2022 flood disaster, which devastated some states of the federation.
“Immediately after the flood incident, damage and loss assessment were conducted and relief items approved by the federal government were delivered across the states to complement initial intervention by the state governments.
“A total of 660,884 households were verified and targeted at benefiting from this special intervention across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.
“The agricultural inputs such as crop seedlings and equipment are to take farmers back to land, stimulate crop production and safeguard our national food security in the middle of economic downturn. It is also expected to stimulate value chair activities at the grassroots.”
The NEMA boss appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the necessary support to accomplish this important and timely intervention.
