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Tinubu approves takeoff of six varsities established under Buhari’s tenure

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Tinubu approves takeoff of six varsities established under Buhari’s tenure

Out of the fourteen new institutions founded in the final days of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, President Bola Tinubu has approved the start of classes at six of them.

Following a meeting behind closed doors with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, said this.

During the first phase, Prof. Mamman said, two institutions specializing in agriculture, two schools of education, and two medical universities will be established.

In his words, “There are a lot of them; there are probably a dozen or so, if not more. You know that tertiary institutions require a lot of capital, especially during the start-up phase, for infrastructure, hiring staff, and other needs.”

The financial strain on government budgets is immense when attempting to launch 12 or 14 institutions simultaneously.

These institutions are strategically in line with President Tinubu’s administration’s main goals and mandates, the minister confirmed.

Aside from the fact that the majority of them are specialized institutions—colleges of education, agriculture, and medicine—they also support some of the government’s priorities and mandates. Normally, we would have stated we’ll assess whether we should move forward with it, Dr. Mamman continued.

The same is true for agriculture: we will require qualified teachers, who education colleges will supply. The President, in his wisdom, advised that we should space out their implementation based on available funding, which is why the administration has not revoked this approval. There will be two from each of the colleges of agriculture, education, and medicine when we begin with roughly six.

During the aforementioned time frame, several universities were founded, including Admiralty University Ibusa, Delta State; Shehu Shagari University of Education, Sokoto; Federal University of Transport Daura, Katsina; and David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu.

Regarding the National Library, which is expected to be finished in 21 months and serves as the country’s depository, the minister said that the President has also given his approval.

“I informed the President of the need of completing the National Library, a national landmark. He said, “He is pleased with the proposal.”

Prince Benjamin Etu: The Multifaceted Titan

Ed Itodo
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Prince Benjamin Etu: The Multifaceted Titan

The simplest way to introduce Prince Benjamin .O. Etu is as the CEO/MD of Bevian Oil And Gas Limited. Mind you, that is an oversimplification of who or what the Edo-born business mogul is.

Capturing his essence requires the panning of his multi-dimensional character so that his many facets will be adequately reflected. Here we go: Prince of Fugar Etsako Land. CEO of Bevian Real Estates. Energy innovator. Automobile Titan. Business Titan…Philanthropist. We can go on and on, but no amount of rhetoric will do him justice.

Prince Etu is many things rolled into one and means many things to many people. To the poor, he is a cheerful giver and a wealth creator. To the voiceless, he is a dodged human rights activist. To the youth, he is a job creator, educator, and mentor. To the women, he is a gender-friendly empowerer. To the sick, he is a succor giver.

Well academically accomplished, Prince Etu is based abroad, although hails from a royal family in Fugar, Etsako Central local government area of Edo State.

To the people of the Fugar community, he is a bridge builder, an astute philanthropist, a community builder, and a beacon of hope.

To his Etsako tribesmen, he is one of the brightest stars from Etsakoland. To other Edo people, he is an illustrious example of a detribalized Edo son. To other Nigerians, he is a patriot and a nationalist per excellence. To other Africans, he is a pan-Africanist. And to other people of the world, he is cosmopolitan and humanist.

Despite his towering profile, Etu’s magnanimity is second to none. His milk of human kindness is unfathomable from the bridges of friendship he has built across cultures, races, and religions.

Prince Etu’s business cut across the oil and gas, real estate, and hospitality sectors as well as automobile business.

Bevian Oil And Gas was registered and incorporated in Lagos, on November 17, 2006, and the company has since then been consistently servicing oil and gas and related industries. The company has a wide array of clientele.

Bevian Oil And Gas engages in installation of pipelines, fabrication, flow lines, wellhead platforms, construction, production of manifold, facilities, equipment supply services, supply installation and maintenance of oil field equipment and devices, emergency leak repairs, sectional replacement of vandalized and corroded lines, pipeline and production support services and maintenance, calibration services, relief valve certification, Supply of chemicals, pipes fittings hot tapping, logistics transport and marine services.

Prince Etu has other chains of businesses as highlighted earlier. He is married and blessed with children.

Breaking: Senate affirms appointments of Olukoyede, Shehu, Hammajoda

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Breaking: Senate affirms appointments of Olukoyede, Shehu, Hammajoda

 

The nominations of Muhammad Hammajoda, Halima Shehu, and Mr. Ola Olukoyede have been approved by the Senate.

Olukoyede as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shehu as national coordinator of the National Social Investment Program Agency, and Muhammad Hammajoda as the new secretary of the country’s anti-graft agency were the appointments made by President Bola Tinubu.

On Wednesday, the members of the upper chamber confirmed the appointees.

Details to come…

EFCC arrests 46 suspected internet fraudsters in Calabar, Eket

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EFCC arrests 46 suspected internet fraudsters in Calabar, Eket

46 alleged online scammers have been taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Calabar, the state capital of Cross River, and Eket, in the state of Akwa Ibom.

This was revealed in a statement released in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday by Dele Oyewale, the head of the EFCC’s media and publicity department.

He clarified that the suspects in Calabar were taken into custody on October 13, 2023, while those in Eket were apprehended on Sunday, October 15, 2023, citing information as the basis for the arrests.

He added that 22 suspects, including David Boniface Akani, Johnson Umuke, James Michael, Akeke Favour, Enange Benard, Godson Ubi, Eddie Godson, Eyo Jesse Bassey, Joachim Omuyeh, and Dickson Abang, had been taken into custody in Calabar.

Read Also: PDP Disowns Former Senate President for Supporting Alex Otti

The others are Godspower Eyan, Elena Samuel, Adie Godson, Chisom Stanley, Nonso Solomon, Eyam Daniel Okpa, Agwazia Sunny Henry, Abang Emmanuel, Ikora Sunny, Emmanuel Godwin, Dannis Lipeunim, and Aka Richard.

He stated that Fonime John Etukudo, Nsisong Udoh, Saviour Daniel, Sampson Sunday, Joshua James Michael, Paul Edet Etiemana, Archibong Okomobong Bassey, Inemesit Akin Bassey, Edidiong Aniete Tom, Ebowusim Chifia Aslem, and Nwanchukwu Ebenezer Chinonso are among the 24 remaining suspects that were taken into custody at Eket.

The others are Victor Evans, Fortune Udia, Benjamin Amos, Prince Augustine, David Daniel, Augustine Obinna, Udeme Unanaowo Unanaowo, Itauma Uforotobong Richard, Bassey David Nicholas, Chidozie Ikechukwu, Japhet Linus Akwaowo, Archibong Alfred Archibong, and Obinnaya Jide.

Oyewale stated that high-end cell phones, six exotic automobiles, laptops, and other stuff had been recovered from them. She also stated that the suspects will face legal charges as soon as the investigations were over.

PDP Disowns Former Senate President for Supporting Alex Otti

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PDP Disowns Former Senate President for Supporting Alex Otti

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from a statement attributed to former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in which he reportedly endorsed State Governor, Alex Otti, for a second term.

According to reports, the Party, in a statement signed by its Vice Chairman, Abia North, Abraham Amah, said Wabara, the acting Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, endorsed Otti following the recent flag-off of the Aba-Port-Harcourt road reconstruction.

The former Senate President is said to have described Alex Otti as a dependable and trustworthy man of honour who is also a master strategist and deserves a second term as governor of Abia.

However, the Abia PDP said in a statement that Wabara has either lost touch with reality or is under the influence of some elements.

According to Amah, the Wabara did not speak for the Party but only for himself because the Party has appropriate communication channels.

The Abia PDP said Wabara got involved in the Port-Harcourt road project without knowing the history or facts about it.

Read Also: Foundation launches first adolescent girls rights, leadership advocate-marshalls program for SDGs

The opposition party also insisted that the former administration in Abia State, led by Okezie Ikpeazu, share credit for the project because it did some road drainage.

“The Abia PDP dissociates itself from the said statement, which portrays Senator Wabara as someone who has either lost touch with reality, is unfamiliar with the undercurrents of Abia politics, or who probably spoke under the influence of some elements,” Amah said.

“While we recognise his right to his personal opinions on issues relating to governance in Abia State and Nigeria, the Abia PDP is compelled to warn that such a highly placed official of the PDP who failed to deliver his unit for the Party during the last election should be mindful of his public conduct and statements, especially if the person is not well versed on the issue at hand.”

“The Party has appropriate channels of communication which must not be breached by any officer, no matter how highly placed.”

Tinubu Meets with Wike, Makinde, Other G5 Leaders

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Tinubu Meets with Wike, Makinde, Other G5 Leaders

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu comprise the G5 group, which also includes former governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.

Aso Villa in Abuja hosted a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Integrity Group, or G5.

A working relationship between the president and the former governors was reportedly discussed at the meeting, despite the fact that specifics were still hazy at the time this report was filed.

Before going to the Villa to meet with the president, the G-5 PDP Governors first convened for a few hours at Wike’s home, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting who asked to remain anonymous because he was not permitted to speak publicly on the subject.

Read Also: Tinubu’s certificate: Elders’ Forum warns politicians to stop dragging Nigeria in the mud

The first meeting at Wike’s house revolved around finding a place for the former governors in the grand scheme of things and, of course, how they could cooperate. I am not currently in possession of the precise details of the discussions that took place, but I can tell you that they were focused on this aspect.

In order to support the party’s presidential candidate in the poll on February 25, the group—led by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—demanded that Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman at the time, step down and be replaced by a candidate from the South. This demand caused a significant rift within the PDP.

Atiku and Ayu both called the then-governors’ bluff and refused to give in to their demands in the recently concluded elections.

Apparently, Makinde and Wike helped Tinubu win the election, while Ortom supported Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate.

In ambush in Bauchi, bandits kill nine vigilantes

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In ambush in Bauchi, bandits kill nine vigilantes

Nine members of the local vigilance group known as “Yan Ba Beli” in Bauchi were killed by gunmen who attacked them.

According to what was learned, the vigilantes were hunting bandits who had been terrorising communities in the state’s Ningi Loval Government Area when the attack took place in Gamji village.

According to reports, the gunmen ambushed the vigilantes, killing nine of them and injuring a few more.

The incident occurred late on Sunday night when members of Yan Ba Beli were searching for the bandits by climbing the rocks surrounding Gamji village, according to a group member who spoke to our correspondent under condition of anonymity.

“The bandits opened fire with superior weapons as soon as we entered the ambush and overpowered the Yan Ba Beli, killing nine of us instantly and injuring others,” the speaker stated.

Read Also: Tinubu’s certificate: Elders’ Forum warns politicians to stop dragging Nigeria in the mud

Ibrahim Mato, the Caretaker Chairman of Ningi Local Government, who verified the incident, denounced it and pledged that the government would keep up its efforts to safeguard local residents’ lives and property.

Meanwhile, our correspondent has learned that the nine corpses were found on Monday and interred at the scene of the incident the same day in accordance with Islamic customs.

Tinubu govt won’t restrict freedom of expression – FG

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Tinubu govt won’t restrict freedom of expression – FG

Government policy should not be to suppress free speech; rather, it should be to encourage constructive dialogue, according to Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.

In a courtesy call to his office on October 12, 2023, the Minister made the statement. The team from Google West Africa was there.

In addition to saying that freedom carries a great deal of responsibility and shouldn’t be used as a pretext to allow chaos to spread throughout the nation, the Minister expressed her belief that it is crucial to have a forum where people can freely express themselves.

Idris revealed that in order to support everyone’s right to free speech and access to information, the federal government would persist in advancing this principle.

“It is critical that those who are responsible for disseminating this information or developing the platforms are also very conscious of the fact that it can easily be used against the people it is meant to serve,” he said in his statement.

Without freedom of expression, democracy cannot exist, so we will work with Google to promote the free exchange of information, he declared.

In order to ensure that the problem of fake news disappears, he praised Google for the excellent work they were doing and declared that the Ministry would keep interacting with them and other companies in industry.

Read Also: Tinubu’s certificate: Elders’ Forum warns politicians to stop dragging Nigeria in the mud

Over the past three years, Google has trained over 3,500 journalists to use a variety of tools for news verification, including digital tools for managing misinformation, according to Mr. Olumide Balogun, the leader of the Google West Africa delegation.

With the “Google Innovation Challenge,” our Google News integration team assists news organisations worldwide, including those in Nigeria, in innovating and introducing new innovations to the news industry. One of the innovations we funded was an artificial intelligence tool called “full fact,” which aids in fact-checking.

By providing staff with online skills training, the Google team promised to support the Ministry.

Foundation launches first adolescent girls rights, leadership advocate-marshalls program for SDGs

Ed Itodo
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Foundation launches first adolescent girls rights, leadership advocate-marshalls program for SDGs

2ruhope Development Initiative launches first adolescent girls rights, leadership advocate-marshalls program for SDGs

Senator Ireti Kingibe, the Senate Representative for the Federal Capital Territory, marked the International Day of the Girl Child 2023 by launching the ‘Skool Her Right’ campaign.

The campaign is a part of the SkoolMeIRETI Program, an initiative under the 2 RU HOPE Development Initiative led by Senator Ireti Kingibe.

The International Day of the Girl Child is an annual observance that aims to advocate for the full spectrum of girls’ rights worldwide. This year’s theme, “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership and Wellbeing,” calls for targeted and evidence-based investments in key areas that promote girls’ leadership and wellbeing.

The ‘Skool Her Right Initiative’ is positioned to launch the largest nationwide adolescent girls’ rights ‘Advocacy-Marshall’ program. It will engage, educate, and empower over 3.7 million teenage Skool HER-RIGHT citizen volunteers across 3,700 senior secondary school hubs in the 36 States of Nigeria and the FCT.

The focus of this initiative is to emphasize “Investing in Girls’ Education: A Stepping Stone to Ensuring their Leadership & Wellbeing” under the banner of the ‘Skool Her Right’ Campaign.

The campaign also introduces “Skool Her Right Gender Advocacy and Leadership Ambassadors,” empowering teenage advocacy citizens to accelerate global goals while promoting national orientation and development values like unity, democracy, prosperity, sustainability, inclusivity, diversity, and equality.

According to her, “Girls’ right to education is fundamental for achieving gender equality and human development. It is the cornerstone for building a future where gender equality thrives and the leadership and wellbeing of girls are realized to their fullest potential.

“Education empowers girls to make informed decisions about their health, family planning, and overall wellbeing. It combats harmful practices such as child marriage and gender-based violence. Educated girls are more aware of their rights and are better equipped to challenge and change oppressive norms and traditions.

“Investing in girls’ education is an investment in the future leaders, innovators, and change-makers of the world. It provides them with the knowledge and skills to address pressing challenges, fostering social justice, human rights, and positive change.”

Senator Ireti Kingibe emphasized the importance of creating a safe and inclusive learning environment, allocating resources for teacher training and support, eliminating school-related gender-based violence, and addressing unique challenges faced by marginalized girls.

She added that “investing in girls’ education is essential to building a world where girls can become leaders, achieve their dreams, and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of all. Together, let us stand for this noble endeavor, for when we educate a girl, we educate a generation, and when we empower a girl, we empower a brighter future for us all.”

Tinubu’s certificate: Elders’ Forum warns politicians to stop dragging Nigeria in the mud

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Tinubu’s certificate: Elders’ Forum warns politicians to stop dragging Nigeria in the mud

Politicians should handle the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu certificate issue carefully, according to the Patriotic Elders Forum of Nigeria, as what they are doing is seriously damaging to the integrity of the country.

They claimed that the ongoing verbal and physical attacks on Tinubu’s supporters by those of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are nothing more than a mudslinging of Nigeria.

Reminding the politicians that “President Tinubu is still the President of Nigeria and attacking his integrity is nothing but a complete attack on the integrity of the nation,” the elders stood up from an urgent meeting in Kano on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters via a press release, Dr. Bature AbdulAziz, President of the Elders Forum, stated that the certificate issue is progressively creating tribal and regional issues that have the potential to erode public trust.

He stated, “It will be good if the Court of Law is allowed to do their jobs, without allowing for public persecution. We need to trade this matter with the utmost care and respect to the very Person we are talking about, who is still the President.”

Politicians should be aware that, similar to the certificate issue, Nigeria should be seen to rise above board whenever there is a problem that could jeopardise national integrity.

Read Also: Group criticises BBC’s report on Tinubu’s CSU certificates

“We need to show some respect for the office President Tinubu is holding and stop attacking his integrity while allowing the court to do its work. If we discuss a matter involving the President with common disrespect and disillusionment, we will never be seen as serious people.

“In a similar vein, the media should also tone down their coverage of the issue; the way that Nigerian and international media are promoting the Certificate topic suggests that they have since reached a decision on the matter in court.”

According to him, the Nigerian media ought to disseminate information intended to foster love, peace, understanding, and regional harmony rather than using their platform to sow discord and total misunderstanding among the populace.

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