Great Emma's Blog

By Jill Okeke Junior Achievement (JA) Nigeria, announced a partnership with Facebook in line with the vision of raising a generation of digitally-inclined young business leaders. This new partnership will result in the incorporation of a digital marketing module into JA’s flagship company program to empower young people with digital marketing skills. Justifying the partnership, the Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria, Foluso Gbadamosi said, “We are thankful to Facebook for this amazing partnership that will help our Company Program students boost their business profitability and equip them with digital marketing skills. Digital marketing is the skill of the future. It fulfils the objectives of traditional marketing concepts and delivers competitive advantages, measurable ROI and better visibility and engagement.” “The economic empowerment of Nigeria remains a priority for us at Facebook. We are excited to partner with JAN as it is an opportunity to further provide Nigeria

By Tiko Okoye   REACTIONS to a recent circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reminding financial institutions that the ban on cryptocurrencies, aka cryptos, was still in place have been fast and furious. A vast majority of those who hold a contrary opinion have described the ban as a “hasty, spurious, nonsensical and unwinnable war” that threw a lot of Nigerians into “a state of confusion, frustration and inconvenience.” In a press release captioned “It Is Time To Open The Economy, Not Close It,” former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar waxed lyrical on the incongruity of the ban when many Nigerian youths are unemployed and more foreign domestic investment is needed. Former Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesili interpreted the ban to mean that “Nigeria is unprepared to embrace the future,” dubbing it “an egregious regress-into-Stone-Age policy” for full effect. Former Senator and ‘common sense’ guru Ben B

Editorial   PROMINENT political figures, who should be society’s role models, have squared off in public spats, betraying their intemperance.  That delinquent exuberance has been a marked contrast to restraint, which should characterise people in leadership. They, thereby, have projected how leaders ought not to comport themselves, when having differences with one another. In Imo State, immediate past governor and now senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, took on incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodimma, in physical confrontation over property alleged by the state government to be proceeds of fraud. The Uzodimma administration had, on February 19, sealed off the sprawling Royal Spring Palm Estate, said to have been built by the former governor’s wife, Nkechi.  That move was reportedly in line with the findings of a judicial panel set up by former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha (Okorocha’s fleeting successor before a judicial sack), to investigate cases

Mouka has presented a customised Wellbeing Regal orthopaedic mattress to Afeez Agoro, Nigeria’s tallest man, for the quality sleep he desires for his 7 feet 4.58 inches frame. As a company that propagates the importance of quality sleep, Mouka, Nigeria’s foremost manufacturer of branded mattresses and pillows, came to the aid of Agoro, who previously had difficulty finding the right sleep solution. The Mouka Wellbeing range of mattresses is endorsed by both the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) and the National Association of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists (NAOMT). Both associations have certified the Wellbeing range as ergonomically compliant, aligning the spine and relieving tension from pressure points around the body. The Wellbeing Regal full orthopaedic mattress is highly recommended for the elderly and those experiencing back pains. On the gesture, Mouka’s Chief Executive Officer, Raymond Murphy, said the brand is continuously looking at ways to add comfort to Nigerians’ l

By Ropo Sekoni   In our endeavor to understand reality we are somewhat like a man trying to understand the mechanism of a closed watch. He sees the face and the moving hands, even hears it ticking, but he has no way of opening the case. If he is ingenious, he may form some picture of a mechanism, which could be responsible for all the things he observes, but he may never be quite sure his picture is the only one which could explain his observations. He will never be able to compare his picture with the real mechanism, and he cannot even imagine the possibility of the meaning of such a comparison -Albert Einstein    A theory is an attempt to find explanations for the way things are or can be. In its facile or formal sense, the objective of a theory is to describe and explain phenomena, events, and situations. In general, a theory is heuristic, that is, it can stimulate and foster further development of knowledge of the matter under study. In today’s piece, therefore, Gumi’s theory w

This is a roundup of some breaking news in Nigeria for Today, Sunday, 28th, February 2021. No Difference Between Kanu, Igboho, Shekau – Adamu Garba Former Presidential aspirant,  Adamu Garba , on Saturday said there is no difference between the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, and the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. Garba who took to his Twitter account wrote, “There is practically no difference between Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho and Abubakar Shekau except that Shekau started much earlier than the rest two. Plain and simple!” Read more details here Why We Arrested Salihu Tanko Yakasai – DSS The  Department of State Services  (DSS) has confirmed that it arrested a now sacked media aide to the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai. The DSS in a statement on Saturday night confirmed that Tanko-Yakasai is in its custody about twenty-four hours after he was picked up. Read more details here Insecu

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Sunday, 28th February 2021. 1. Kagara School Boys Released The kidnapped students and staff of the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State have been released by their abductors. It was gathered that the students and staff who have been in captivity for days were released on Saturday morning. The development was disclosed by a credible source to ThisDay, which noted that the abductees are on their way to Minna and should be in the Niger State capital in a couple of hours. 2. Journalists Barred As Freed Kagara Students, Staff Arrive Minna The freed students, staff, and family members of Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State abducted by bandits last week have arrived Minna under tight security. Naija News had reported that the students and staff were released on Saturday morning. The students and the staff were released from a location close to where the fifty-

By Blessing Olaifa, Abuja   The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the weekend, dismissed reports that he received 96-month salary arrears in secret when he served as the governor of Osun State. He described the report as a fiction written by elements bent on casting “aspersion on the integrity of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola “. A statement from Aregbesola’s media aide, Sola Fasure, noted that the report carried by an online medium falls short of all known ethics of journalism. According to the statement, the author of the report “falsely claims that the Minister of Interior and immediate past governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, towards the end of his tenure, secretly received the backlog of his full salary for the entire period he was governor, contrary to his asserting that he never did. “The report is entirely a piece of fiction, a good exemplar of fake news and disreputable journalism.” The media aide said: “Let me state categorically again that Og

By Ibrahim Adam   Organised Labour, operating in the telecommunications sector, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to telecom giant, Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, to address all the labour-related issues confronting the workers in the company or face a total shutdown of its operations in the country. The union, Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at a media briefing in Lagos, yesterday, warned that the proposed action would be damning as it would affect all major telecommunications service providers in the country whose infrastructure, Huawei supported. The General Secretary of the union, Okonu Abdullahi, said all the union’s efforts in the past three years to address all the labour related issues confronting the workers in the company, including reporting to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, have been rebuffed by its management. “We implored business partners, indiv

The rising wave of infractions in the nation’s banking and financial services sectors has brought to the fore the challenges of enforcing compliance and regulations in a fast paced industry which remains the major driver of the economy, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf Banking and financial services like all other sectors all over the world are governed by laws and ethics which are constantly being refined in tune with the times. In Nigeria, for instance, the banking, financial, insurance, money/capital/commodities market, pension funds, e-commerce sectors, to mention a few are constantly under scrutiny by the apex regulatory bodies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), National Pension Commission (PenCom). Despite the constant scrutiny by the regulators, the media continue to be awash with reports about infractions being committed by most the ban

By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja   It was a litany of complaints against men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at the resumed proceedings of the Independent Investigative Panel (IIP) on human rights violation by the defunct SARS and other units of the police in Abuja. Two complainants, Sani Halilu and Haruna Usman, claimed to have been tortured by policemen for 19 days, during which they developed various heath challenges, including bleeding from private part. Another petitioner, Abraham Nyamkwange, told the panel how some police personnel allegedly made his family to pay N203, 000 for his brother’s corpse, which the security officials have refused to release. Halilu, who claimed to be a journalist, said he attended an event on September 10, 2020 at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja. He claimed to have been arrested by some policemen, while trying to locate an acquaintance and accused of complicity in the missing laptop belonging to one Salisu Buhari in the hall of the hotel. Halilu, who clai

GOVERNOR of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on Nigerians to form a collective synergy with the aim of bringing an end to the worrisome   security situation bedeviling the nation. He condemned the ethnic coloration the fight against terrorism and insurgency is taking. Oyetola stated this yesterday at an international colloquium organised in honour of Prof. Siyan Oyeweso’s 60th birthday and book launch held at Western Sun International Ede, Osun State. The governor, who described Professor Oyeweso as one of the rare gifts to Ede, Osun and Nigeria as a whole, noted that over the years, as a professor of History, Siyan Oyeweso has made his impacts felt beyond the shores of his country of birth. Oyetola, while congratulating Oyeweso, urged him to continue to put in his best in his area of specialisation as an egg head in the field of history and human relations. Governor Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Oluwole Oyebamiji, note

By Yusuf Alli,  Managing Editor, Northern Operation   The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has promised to take the commission to the next level. He also warned the staff of EFCC against indulging in corrupt practices. He said his administration will do its best to nip corruption in the bud. Bawa made the submissions while handing over the leadership of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Office to Taufiq Sabir. A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, quoted Bawa as saying that “under his chairmanship, the EFCC will ensure a proactive approach to the fight against corruption. “Before the crime is committed, we are going to put in place measures that will help nip it in the bud, it’s going to be the way to go,” he said. “He expressed great optimism that though the challenges and expectations were high. He said: “We are going to succeed and take the commission to the next level”. In an emotionall

By Charles Okonji The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has stated that with deliberate policies of the government through incentives, the real sector will become more viable than trading. The Chairman of MAN, Apapa Branch, Engr Frank Onyebu, who gave this charge during an interview with The Nation , explained that entrepreneurs would only invest in an economy where they are sure of getting maximum returns on investment in the short-term. Onyebu said, “The real sector of the economy can be revived by a deliberate policy of government through incentives to make the sector more viable than trading. Entrepreneurs would usually invest in businesses where they can get the maximum returns within the shortest possible time. Therefore if enough incentives are provided, investors will move in in droves to exploit the opportunities provided. The government should also make business environment friendly enough to attract even foreign investors into the sector.” The MAN Chairman noted

By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin     Proprietors of mission secondary schools have rejected the approval of hijab  wearing in mission schools by the Kwara State Government. The state government had earlier approved the wearing of  hijab  by students of grant-aided schools in the state. But the proprietors of the affected schools in a communique read by Rev Victor Dada said that the “body condemns the use of  hijab  in Christian missions grant-aided schools as this will cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorist to easily identify our children and wards. “Christian mission grant-aided schools should be returned to the owners promptly as most of these schools have churches beside them and unnecessary trespass may lead to break down of law and order. “Christian faithful should occupy all grant aided schools. Christians should have a day for prayers and fasting for God to intervene in the imbroglio. “We shall continue to interact and dialogue with the state government on the ret

The immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that his recent comment that the word ‘revalidation’ is not in the party’s constitution was taken out of context. In a statement he issued yesterday, the former governor of Edo State said that updating the party’s register is not only constitutional but necessary. Oshiomhole, in the said statement, also insisted that his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari remains cordial regardless of efforts by some people to misrepresent his views on certain issues. He said: “I made a comment to the effect that the word ‘revalidation’ is not in the party’s constitution and that the appropriate word should be ‘updating the membership register’ as provided for under section 9.4 (1) which reads that “a Register of members shall be compiled and maintained at the Ward level and be transmitted to the Secretariat of the Party at the Local Government Area, which shall transmit a copy t

By Alao Abiodun; Fanen Ihyongo, Kano; Gbade Ogunwale,  Nicholas Kalu, Abuja; and Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti     It was double trouble yesterday for former Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Kano State, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, as his sack by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje over a comment he made on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was  followed by his arrest by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). A statement issued by the Kano State Commissioner of Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, yesterday had indicated Yakasai was relieved of his appointment on account of his continued unguarded comments and utterances which were deemed contrary to the stand of the (APC) government under which he is serving. Garba, who conveyed the Governor Ganduje’s directive, said Yakasai’s sack was with immediate effect, noting that the errant governor’s aide had failed to differentiate between personal opinion and official stand on matters of public interest. Irked by the abdu

By Tatalo Alamu   In Born into Journalism: Memoir of a Newspaper Reporter , Kayode Soyinka has penned a memorable and unforgettable memoir, destined to become a classic of its genre. The great memoir requires three vital ingredients: excellent writing skills, a vivid imagination and fantastic memory. This memoir boasts of all the three qualities. Arguably Nigeria’s best known and best-connected international journalist, Soyinka can now be said to have joined its pantheon of remarkable writers. Written in crisp, lucid prose and with the fastidious elegance of a man who cannot afford to make mistakes, this is the moving story of growing up and maturing in full public glare. Having started out as a boy-reporter, barely eighteen years of age, Soyinka has become an elder-statesman of Nigerian journalism and himself a grandfather to boot. How time flies, we may say. But flying time also carries storms and biting dunes. The journey has not been easy. It requires hard work, persistence and

By Alao Abiodun   A post by Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, announcing her appointment as ‘Peace Ambassador’ to the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has sparked a row The movie star had broken the news of her ‘appointment’ in an Instagram post on Friday, sharing a picture of herself alongside Yakubu Pam, the Executive Secretary of the NCPC, during her visit to his office in Abuja on Thursday. “We had an extensive deliberation on NCPC vision, dissecting the values for National development and youth involvement in peace building in line with the NCPC’s mandate,” she wrote. “Finally, I wish to announce my position as the new Ambassador of the Commission for Peace Building. Need your prayers as we embark on peace building across the six (6) geopolitical zones of the nation because peace is indispensable,” she added. As if corroborating Dikeh’s claim, Mr Pam had shared pictures from Dikeh’s visit on his personal Instagram page and commended the actress “for pledging her de