The Ooni of Ife, His Majesty Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi on Thursday said the greatest concern facing the traditional institution is the possibility of unscrupulous persons hijacking the proposed protest to foment crisis.
Recall that President Tinubu first met with governors elected under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC, before having another closed-door meeting with the Council of Traditional Rulers.
Their discussions also centred on the prevailing challenges which the country has been facing since Tinubu assumed office and the need for Nigerians to understand where the government stands in trying to make amends for the woes.
Recall that since some unidentified Nigerians gave a notice to stage a protest on August 1 over economic hardship in the country, there has been a series of criticism over the move.
The Ooni said, “People that are planning to go out there to protest, it’s their civic right, but let them put a face to it and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives.
“That is our stand. We condemn such acts fully, we the traditional rulers are more engaged with the people, especially the youth, coming out to start looting, to start breaking down law and order. We are parents, we are traditional rulers, we are closer to them, we are going to go back home and continue to engage them”.
Speaking further, the Ooni said today it’s a new twist and a new spin from the political leadership of our dear country. For the very first time, the traditional rulers were properly engaged in terms of the plans of government and governance, their achievements so far, and where they were having challenges. This is long-awaited. We’ve been waiting for it, but today we’re very excited because we’re closer to our people and we can bring that feedback back home.
“Stewardship from the Federal Executive Council, directly to the traditional rulers has never happened in our nation before, never. This is the first time we’re all experiencing it. We have traditional rulers that have been on the throne for 40, or 50 years. Today is the very first time we will be addressed properly by the Federal Executive Council. So there is a proper bridge and closure of governance from the governed and the people that are in charge of government.
“So it’s a very beautiful take home for us because we don’t lock our palaces, we are more exposed to the people that we actually rule over. So it’s a different twist and spin from our dear President and I want to use this medium, on behalf of all traditional rulers, to appreciate him, no leader in Nigeria has ever done it. So for us, it’s all-encompassing”
The Ooni also cautioned those planning to embark on the protest saying it is very difficult to build, but easy to destroy. We are all stakeholders of this country, we should be stronger as a nation together, than stronger individually.
He continued, “The President has said it and he will continue to say it, any leader that you don’t like, wait and vote him out. He is open to dialogue. We know that challenges are so many in Nigeria, we know that, but are we going to destroy our nation by ourselves? Is that what we’re all after?
“We should talk to ourselves. It’s important for us to know that today, it’s a completely different spin. The government, ably led by the President, is willing to engage and dialogue and bring governance very close to the people”.
Corroborating the Ooni of Ife, the Dein of Agbor, HRM Benjamin Ikenchuku Gbenoba said the government at the centre was finally coming to terms with the reality of governance in the country.
Asked what his take-home from the meeting at the presidency, he responded, “The take-home message for me, hearing from Mr. President directly, I can see the passion.
But at the same time, I think the government is finally understanding we are at the precipice. Our youths are our future and I think today we’ve demonstrated that the government, with the officials, we do have the hearts of the nation in our minds, we will listen to our youths because they lead the future.
“The power, the strength of Nigeria is certainly with the young people. We feel your pain, I’m a young person myself. It’s been 24 years I’ve been back and it’s been 24 years that I’ve started seeing the nation going in a very unpalatable direction, but by God’s grace, I think if you give us the chance, this protest, I know that it’s catching very high in your neck, but if you give us the chance, let us not destroy our own country.
“I’ll ask you to think of Libya. Libya was a beautiful country, what has happened to Libya, we don’t want it to happen here. Let’s go home, let’s continue to strive the best that we can and continue to work with the government to see if we can proffer some solutions. I think that that would be best rather than to destroy property or injure ourselves”.
Hardship protest may be hijacked by people with ulterior motives – Ooni of Ife warns
Hardship protest may be hijacked by people with ulterior motives – Ooni of Ife warns
Ondo residents protest attempt to impose prince on community
The residents of Ode Irele community, the headquarters of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday staged a protest over an alleged attempt by the state government to impose a prince on the community as a monarch.
The stool of the town became vacant after the demise of the Late Oba Olanrewaju Lebi, who passed away in January 1993. Since the death of the monarch, the case of whom to appoint as the next Oba has not been resolved.
The protesters who gathered in front of the state High Court, Okitipupa, chanting various solidarity songs, urged Governor Luck Aiyedatiwa, to follow due process in the selection and appointment of a new monarch of the town.
The protesters had placards with inscriptions, such as, ‘Irele people demand justice’, ‘All we are saying is to give Irele people justice,’ and ‘Attorney General cannot protect the law of the state’, among others.
Leader of the protesters, Solomon Idowu, said the protest was just for justice to be done on the chieftaincy matter of the community.
He said, “We are here to protest over the position of Obas in Ode-Irele, some years ago, one person invaded the shrine and installed himself as king of our community, we informed the government about his action, and he was thereafter charged to court.
“Our reliable sources told us that the person has gone behind us to Akure and met the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa on the matter to truncate the due process so that all cases against him must be withdrawn.
“We are seriously against that, law must take its course on him, anyone who is against the law of the land must face the music, and imposition is not acceptable to the people of Irele kingdom. The ruling must be done without any form of compromise.”
Another protester, Odunsanmi Morebise, said some community leaders were behind a plot to truncate the case and declared that the ancestors would not give room for any imposition while urging the state government to allow the kingmakers to follow the due process to select the new Olofun.
However, in his reaction, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Amidu Takuro, denied the allegations, saying the government did not have any plan to impose kingship candidates on any community.
“I am not aware of any plan to impose candidate on any community. Every community has its laid down rules and regulations on how it handles its chieftaincy matters and the government does not interfere in the process.
“All we do is follow due process in the selection and appointment of obaship candidates. So nobody is imposed on any community to be king,” the commissioner explained.
Tinubu’s Rice: DSS reportedly recovers 2,000 bags diverted in Katsina
No fewer than 2,000 bags of rice allegedly stolen from the 20 trucks donated to Katsina State by the federal government have been recovered by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.
TVN recalls that President Bola Tinubu had in a bid to tackle the hardship in the country, donated 20 trucks of rice to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
However, according to NAN about 2,000 bags of the donated rice were diverted by government officials in Katsina State.
The DSS officials in the state, who confirmed the negative development to NAN on Thursday, however, declined further comments on the issue and preferred to be anonymous.
An investigation conducted revealed that the 25kg bags of rice were deposited in a store at the Central Market, Katsina, however, some people alerted the DSS on Wednesday night, about the theft and swung into action.
The Chairman, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in the state, Mr Abdulrahman Abdullahi, expressed shock over the issue.
Abdullahi lamented how the Federal Government donated the palliatives to the vulnerable but it was allegedly diverted by some unpatriotic people.
The chairman vowed that they would continue to follow the case up to its logical conclusion.
He, therefore, advised the government to investigate the matter with a view to punishing those behind the diversion.
Also commenting on the matter, a resident of Katsina, Suleiman Kofar-Durbi, said it was an unfortunate development.
“It is unfortunate that I received the information yesterday night that the President provided relief to the vulnerable and some people diverted it.
“People are experiencing hardship due to the current economic situation in the country, the government should investigate the matter thoroughly and bring culprits to book,” he said.
Tinubu’s Rice: DSS reportedly recovers 2,000 bags diverted in Katsina
Politicians, security agencies take advantage of Nigerians’ ignorance of law – Prof Uwaoma
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Prof Uwaoma Uche, has noted that law enforcement agencies in the country take advantage of the fact that most Nigerians do not know their rights.
The Professor spoke on the topic, ”the Nexus between Political Leadership and Human Rights at the 2024 National Human Rights Lecture of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA on Thursday.
He said many citizens view the Constitution as a mere document rather than a binding or implemented law, largely because of the challenges in the implementation of the Constitution, especially on certain persons who are seen as the political class in Nigeria.
Prof. Uche pointed out that under international law, the political class are primarily responsible for ensuring the protection of human rights within their jurisdictions.
According to him, the political class has three levels of obligations towards Nigerians with regard to their fundamental rights which include respect, refraining from interfering with the enjoyment of the rights, protecting the right from intrusion or interference by third parties and to fulfil, provide resources to facilitate the enjoyment of the rights.
He said, however, that the “question that begs for answers is – how far has the Nigerian Political class fared in undertaking these three obligations with respect to the Nigerian Fundamental Rights?”
“Using the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, one of the 10 most important wetland and coastal marine ecosystems in the world and home to some 31 million people, the IDP camps littered in some states in Nigeria and the actions of the Nigerian Police force in their dealing with Nigerians as indices, one would be right to say that the Nigerian political class has failed woefully in undertaking these obligations.
“In the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, oil pollution has ravaged the environment for the last 50 years.
“The majority of the people of the Niger Delta do not have adequate access to clean water or health care.
“Their poverty, and its contrast with the wealth generated by oil, has become one of the world’s starkest and most disturbing examples of the “resource curse”.
The human rights implications are serious, under-reported and have received little attention from the political class or the oil companies.
However, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission) and the UN Human Rights Committee have expressed serious concern about this state of affairs and have called on the Nigerian government to take urgent action to deal with the human rights impacts of oil pollution and the consequent environmental degradation.
The professor added that ”The level of human rights abuse in the IDP campus is worrisome. Ranging from physical, sexual and economic abuse of the rights of the displaced persons.”
Speaking further on incessant brutality by securing agencies, he said the level of alleged brutality of the citizenry by the security agencies is quite abysmal.
“It is either on the road with multiple roadblocks, dehumanization, attack on communities and even razing down communities based on not defined causes. There is a need to improve the level of civil-military, police relationship…”
Politicians, security agencies take advantage of Nigerians’ ignorance of law – Prof Uwaoma
‘Today is a bad day for Ndigbo,’ Ohanaeze mourns Iwuanyanwu
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has mourned the loss of its President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who died on Thursday.
The Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia, confirmed the death to journalists on Thursday in Enugu.
“Today is a bad day for Ndigbo. It’s true! Ahaeji aga Mba is gone.
“Ohanaeze is yet to issue an official statement on the demise of our President General, Chief Iwuanyanwu, but he is gone,” he said.
Aged 82, Iwuanyanwu was elected the President General of the apex Igbo cultural organisation on April 20, 2023, following the death of his predecessor, Prof George Obiozor.
NAN reports that Iwuanyanwu is the second President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to die in office after Obiozor, who also died in office.
Iwuanyanwu was a prominent Nigerian businessman, politician, and philanthropist known for his significant contributions to various sectors.
NAN
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PRP condemns Bauchi govt’s ‘unconstitutional’ attempt to stop protest
The Bauchi State chapter of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has condemned what it describes as the unconstitutional attempt to intimidate people of the state by the state government.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Secretary in the state, Hon. Abdulazeez Haruna, the party expressed shock at the recent statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Kashim, advising those planning a peaceful protest in the state to “think twice” before embarking on the adventure.
The PRP noted that the statement was an attempts to stop the people from exercising their fundamental rights as entrenched in the 1999 Constitution.
Haruna said: “This response is nothing but a clear attempt to stifle freedom of expression and suppress the rights of citizens to demand good governance.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and affirmed by our courts as Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“It is outrageous that the government would resort to intimidation and threats rather than engaging in constructive dialogue with those who have genuine concerns about the well-being of our nation.
READ ALSO: Buhari’s ex-aide, Ahmad opts out of #EndBadGovernance protest over Nnamdi Kanu
“The people of Bauchi State have every right to express their opinions and grievances, and it is the duty of their elected representatives to listen and respond to their needs.
“We view this statement as a clear indication that the government is afraid of the people’s voice and is willing to use coercive measures to silence them. This is a betrayal of trust and a violation of the fundamental human rights of our citizens.
“We call on all citizens of Bauchi State who are concerned about the direction our nation is headed to continue planning and preparing for their peaceful protests.
“We urge them not to be deterred by the threats and intimidation from government officials, but rather to stand firm in their resolve to demand better representation and accountability from their leaders.
“The PRP, Bauchi State Chapter, will continue to support and stand with these patriotic individuals who are willing to speak truth to power. We will not be cowed by attempts to silence us, and we will continue to advocate for democracy, transparency, and good governance in our state.
“Let us stand together and demand a better Bauchi State and Nigeria at large!”
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Oshola benched as Ajibade leads Super Falcons against Brazil in Olympics opener
25th July 2024
The Super Falcons at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. Credit:
X @NGSuper_Falcons
The lineup for the highly anticipated match between Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Brazil has been announced.
The Super Falcons will face Brazil in their first Women’s Olympic Football Tournament game at 6 pm Nigerian time at the Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France.
Rasheedat Ajibade is leading the team as captain while Asisat Oshoala is on the bench.
Here is the official lineup:
NIGERIA: Goalkeeper
Manager
Manager
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CAC to delist Chisco Transport, Zenon, Eko paragon refinery, 100k others for inactivity (Full List)
No fewer than 100,00 companies will soon be deleted by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for not filing their annual reports in 10 years from its register.
The companies were given a 90 days window to file in their reports.
The commission disclosed this in a recently published notice on its website.
Some of the companies listed for deletion include Chisco Transport (Nigeria) Limited, Zenon petroleum, Eko Paragon Refinery, Free Range Farms Plc, Atlantic Solutions Nigeria Limited, Intertek Industry Services Nig. Ltd,5. Med Mak Construction Company Limited, Intertek (Holdings) Nig Ltd, Marquis Hotel & Apartment Ltd, Chysom Industries and Marketing Company Limited and BP Consulars Limited.
Others are K & K Energy And Logistics Co Ltd, Dastops Alternative Therapy, Zenon Petroleum And Gas Limited, Ndotiten Global Services Limited, CN Aguluono Ventures Limited, Ola-Seg Investments Limited, Salako Adewale And Co (Delete) Uncle Jublee Ais Ltd, ICT Resource Partners Ltd, QSM Integrated Services Limited, Naval Officers Wives Association Of Nigeria, Clover Nigeria Limited, Discount Dry Cleaners Ltd, Rewaj Corporate Limited and Integrated Gas Services Co. Ltd.
The notice read: “This is to inform the general public that the commission pursuant to its powers contained in Section 692 (3) (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 3 of 2020, intends to strike off from the Register, names of defunct or dormant companies that have not filed Annual Returns for a period of 10 years.
“These companies are given a period of 90 days from the date of this publication to file all outstanding annual returns and send an email of this fact to activation@cac.gov.ng. so as to remove their names from the list.”
The commission warned that it was illegal to carry on business with the name of a company that has been delisted from the register as such an organisation was deemed to be dissolved.
By: Babajide Okeowo
The post CAC to delist Chisco Transport, Zenon, Eko paragon refinery, 100k others for inactivity (Full List) appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Rivers: Nationwide protest will cause more hardship – CSO coalition pulls out
A coalition of 140 civil society groups and non-governmental organisations, with members across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, has pulled out from the planned nationwide protests.
The groups under the aegis of the Rivers Good Governance Coalition said on Thursday that the protest scheduled for August 1 to 10 would cause more chaos in the state and other parts of the nation.
In a statement signed by its president, Nwogu Moses, the coalition declared that protest should not be seen as a solution to the country’s challenges, stating that it would potentially lead to more hardship.
While admitting the economic crisis bedevilling the nation, Moses urged Nigerian youths to engage in constructive dialogue with the government, stressing that dialogue would have more positive impacts than the planned protest.
Part of the statement reads, “We believe that protest will only lead to more chaos and destruction, rather than solving the problems facing the country.
“We believe that dialogue and engagement are better than ignoring the concerns of the people.
“We also urge Nigerians not to protest, but rather to engage in constructive dialogue with the government and other stakeholders. We believe that this is the best way to address the issues facing the country.
“We are dedicated to working through lawful and democratic channels to bring about positive change.
“Furthermore, we are concerned about the safety of our members and the general public, and we do not want to put anyone in harm’s way”.
Rivers: Nationwide protest will cause more hardship – CSO coalition pulls out
Don’t protest, give Tinubu time, Kalu begs Nigerians
The senator representing Abia North in the National Assembly, Orji Kalu, has urged Nigerians to shelve the proposed nationwide protest.
Kalu urged Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu time to restore the country to prosperity.
He made this appeal on Thursday in a statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia.
It read, “Going on protest now might be beneficial for democracy, but it will not be expedient for our economic development.
“It is not the time for Nigerians to go on protest. I appeal to all Civil Society Organisations, youths, and all people who think what happened in Kenya can happen in Nigeria to shelve those plans.
“Please, give President Tinubu a little more time as it is too early to judge him on his actions.”
Kalu noted that no elected president in any country would be happy to see his citizens suffer.
“I know that President Tinubu himself knows that we are hungry; he knows that we are suffering and that things are not the way they should be. I am sure and convinced that he is working on it.
“This is 2024. The oil money is no longer coming in as it used to. When you wanted to go on strike sometime in 2020/2021, I repeatedly told you that Buhari is not the owner of this country.
“Today, Buhari is in Daura. Likewise, Tinubu is not the owner of this country. At most, in eight years, Tinubu will also be back in Lagos, while the country remains my country, your country, and our country.
“Please, let’s give him some time. In a press conference I held sometime in the past, I urged Nigerians to give him two to three years. It is difficult for what has gone wrong with this economy to be resolved in a few days,” he added.
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