Internationally acclaimed Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has been described as a human rights crusader and novelist who was larger than life and in the mould of Nelson Mandela.
This description was made by a Professor of History and Director, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Siyan Oyeweso, in his welcome address at the international colloquium held to celebrate the 90th birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka in Osogbo.
Oyeweso noted that Prof Soyinka, “is larger than life and not only a legend. A literary sage
“He is being celebrated because he turned 90 on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
“The celebrations worldwide are because he is a UNESCO ambassador.”
Oyeweso also described Prof Soyinka as a socially active person who is always on the side of the people.
“He does see himself as great but in the context of the people.
“He is unarguably one of the greatest men of this generation in the likes of Nelson Mandela.
“He also risked his life for the sake of the nation and sought a negotiated solution to Nigeria’s crisis in 1967.
“He spent two years in prison during the General Yakubu Gowon administration.”
Oyeweso also revealed that Prof Soyinka was a founding member of the National Democracy Coalition, NADECO.
“The freedom Nigerians are enjoying was fought by some people because he was part of NADECO and Radio Kudirat.”
The theme of the colloquium is, “Wole Soyinka, culture, social activism and social justice”
The Chairman of the occasion, Orangun of Oke-Ila Orangun, Oba Adedokun Abolarinwa stated that nation-building is an exciting process.
He added that despite the shenanigans that go with it, Nigerians are doing well.
“Professor Wole Soyinka’s birthday is a bridge that will bring the ancient and the coming generation together and learn from our past.
“All we need to do is make it better than what our grandfathers did and to hand over a better Nigeria to those coming after us.”
Professor Awe, Dean, School of Tourism, Performing Arts and Cultural Studies, Lagos State University, LASU, called for a revisit of the reading culture and history among the youths.
“Through reading, they will understand a lot about Nigeria, humanity and culture. Prof Soyinka is one writer that I think every child should read to understand Nigerian culture, African culture, and the place of language in human development.”
He also said the renaming of the National Theatre in Prof Soyinka’s name is a befitting honour.
“What he has done in the area of theatre, culture, language and the literary world as a scholar, I don’t think naming the National Theatre after him is enough.
“It should just be the beginning of better things that Nigeria should do to commemorate and immortalise him. It is a very welcome development.”
Soyinka @90: He can be compared to Nelson Mandela – Prof Siyan Oyeweso
Soyinka @90: He can be compared to Nelson Mandela – Prof Siyan Oyeweso
Dortmund sign Guinean striker Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund on Thursday said they had signed Serhou Guirassy from Bundesliga rivals Stuttgart, ending their long pursuit of the Guinean striker.
“Borussia Dortmund have strengthened their attack with the signing of 28-year-old Serhou Guirassy from VfB Stuttgart,” announced Dortmund on X.
The agreement with the striker was delayed after Guirassy’s initial medical at Dortmund revealed an injury that required “further investigation”, according to the club.
After additional tests, Dortmund established that a knock picked up by Guirassy in an international game towards the end of the season did “not need to be operated (on)”, the club said in a statement.
The striker, born in France, will follow a solo recovery programme before starting training with his new team.
Dortmund sealed Guirassy’s signing after meeting the 18-million-euro ($20 million) release clause in his contract, according to German media.
Guirassy’s contract with Dortmund will go to June 2028, the club said.
Guirassy had a break-out campaign with Stuttgart last season, scoring 28 goals in as many league games and propelling Stuttgart to a surprise second-place finish and a Champions League berth in his first season with the team.
Stuttgart beat Dortmund three times in all competitions in 2023-24, with Guirassy scoring in each game.
The striker is the second player Dortmund have signed from Stuttgart during this transfer window, following the transfer of German defender Waldemar Anton.
Dortmund now have four strikers on their books, with Guirassy joining Germany number nine Niclas Fuellkrug, Ivory Coast forward Sebastien Haller and teenager Youssoufa Moukoko.
Despite reaching the Champions League final last season, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid, Dortmund had a disappointing domestic campaign.
Just one season after losing the title on goal difference, Dortmund finished in fifth place last term – 27 points behind Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen.
At the end of the season just gone, Dortmund lost veterans Marco Reus and Mats Hummels and saw the departure of coach Edin Terzic.
Former Dortmund player Nuri Sahin was appointed to take the reins at the club.
AFP
JUST IN: Tinubu approves N70,000 new minimum wage for workers
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved the sum of N70,000 as new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
He also promised to review the minimum wage every three years.
More details coming…
The post JUST IN: Tinubu approves N70,000 new minimum wage for workers appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
AIG Okuma sounds alarm over insecurity in Katsina
Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, in charge of Zone 14, Idegwu Basil Okuma, has expressed shock at the level of banditry in Katsina State, vowing to make a big difference in reducing the menace.
“I have seen the level of crime in this place and I want to say that I’m shocked. It has equally given me the determination to ensure that within the time that I will be here, whether short or long time, I will make my impact felt.”
AIG Okuma disclosed this while on an official visit to the Katsina State Police Command to familiarise himself with the command’s operations and boost the morale of officers and men.
Describing the situation as “terrifying”, Okuma pledged to complement the Command’s efforts in taming the menace.
During the visit, the new Zone 14 AIG acknowledged the challenges faced by security personnel, including the loss of officers in the line of duty.
He called on all officers to be vigilant and share information to combat the menace effectively.
“We are losing officers. The very week I reported we lost four officers. These are things we face on a daily basis, and it is our duty and we will continue to put in our best to ensure that crime and criminality are brought down to the very minimum.”
On the way out, he emphasised the importance of community policing and intelligence gathering in addressing the crisis. “There’s a need to reach out to these communities to let them know that we are in it with them. Let them know that we are doing all things possible to ensure that the act of banditry is mitigated,” he said.
AIG Okuma further emphasised the need for continuous training and retraining of officers to keep pace with the evolving tactics of criminals.
He commended the Katsina State Commissioner of Police for ongoing training initiatives but urged for more robust capacity building.
“We need to do more. We need to have well-structured training. Trainings that will put these bandits off balance. “What do I mean? Trainings that will put us ahead of them, not behind them.”
Katsina Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Abubakar Musa, welcomed the AIG and briefed him on the command’s operations and achievements since the AIG’s assumption of office on June 2, 2024. These include the arrest of over 100 suspects, the rescue of 107 kidnapped victims, the neutralisation of over five suspected armed bandits, and the recovery of firearms, ammunition, stolen livestock, and other items.
CP Musa attributed the command’s recent success to AIG Okuma’s leadership, noting that under his watch, the command has witnessed a boost in operational capacity and morale.
AIG Okuma sounds alarm over insecurity in Katsina
Oyo clears air on Olubadan stool rumour
The Oyo State government has absolved itself from the rumoured plan to stop or scuttle the ambition of anyone to become the next Olubadan.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, said that the government believed that it was not only premature but also unfair and preemptive for anyone to start discussions on the next Olubadan when a new Olubadan has just been successfully installed.
The commissioner said, “It is embarrassing that a few days after the coronation and presentation of Staff of Office to the new Olubadan, HIM Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin I, some citizens are already looking over the shoulders of the new Oba and ascribing the government gazette that implemented the recommendation of the Ibadan Chieftaincy Review Committee to a ploy to disqualify certain individuals.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the last Olubadan, Ọba Mohood Olalekan Balogun, Alli Okumade II, set up the Ibadan Chieftaincy Review Committee to review and deliberate on the needed reforms of the Ibadan Chieftaincy, the extant chieftaincy declaration and composition of the Ibadan land and local government traditional councils and make the necessary recommendations.
“After extensive review and deliberations, the committee recommended among others that the eleven (11) high chiefs who are members of the Olubadan-In-Council be elevated and approved as beaded crown-wearing Obas.”
The commissioner revealed that the late Oba Balogun, Alli Okumade II, in a signed letter to the Governor of Oyo State, dated February 5, 2023, proposed that this reform be incorporated into the Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957.
“Few months later on July 14, 2023, precisely, the amendments were gazetted.
“The Governor did this not only because it was a legitimate prayer from His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr (Sen.) Mohood Olalekan Balogun, Alli Okumade II, but also in deference to the tradition and culture of Ibadanland,” Oyelade said.
The state government therefore advised the people not to heat the polity as the government would continue to uphold what is right and the cherished tradition and culture of our people.
“Government wishes the Olubadan of Ibadanland, HIM Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin I, good health and wisdom to pilot the affairs of Ibadanland,” Oyelade concluded.
CBN sells forex to BDCs at N1450/$
The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday sold dollars to eligible Bureau De Change operators at the rate of N1450/dollars.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the acting director of the Trade and Exchange Department at the CBN, AA Mahdi, on Thursday.
This comes days after the apex bank sold $123m to authorised dealers.
The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria claimed that they were excluded in that tranche of forex sales.
The President of the ABCON, Aminu Gwadebe, in an interview with The According, said only banks got the forex intervention.
In the latest move, the CBN said it has “approved the sales of FX to eligible Bureau De Change to meet the demand for invisible transactions. The sum of $20,000 is to be sold to each BDC at the rate of N1,450/$ (representing the lower band of the trading rate at NAFEM in the previous trading day).”
Premising the move on the ongoing reforms in the foreign exchange market, the CBN said it “Has observed the continued distortions in the retail end of the market, which is feeding into the Parallel market and further widening the exchange rate premium.”
It warned the BDCs to sell to eligible end-users at a margin not more than 1.5 per cent above the purchase rate from CBN.
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Agency deploys sanitation marshals for regulation of environmental standards in Akwa Ibom
Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA) said it has deployed about 100 sanitation marshals to enforce environmental standards and apprehend those who engage in indiscriminate waste disposal in unauthorized places.
The chairman of the agency, Akpan Ikim, who disclosed this in Uyo on Thursday, said the successful marshals have been trained not only on environmental management best practices but also on basic character, discipline and public perception.
While presenting them to the senior magistrate, Amanda Effiom, the chairman said that in enforcing environmental standard as directed by the state governor, the role of the court could not be overemphasized.
He said, “The sanitation marshals will apprehend all defaulters of environmental standard including indiscriminate waste handling and disposal, waste disposal at unauthorized places/time.”
In his remarks, the magistrate said every apprehended culprit would immediately appear before the sanitation court for prosecution.
Effiom expressed optimism upon receiving the sanitation marshals, saying that environmental management in the state was poised for a positive transformation.
He noted that the development demonstrates the commitment of the state government to enhance environmental governance, promote sustainable practices and ensure accountability for environmental infractions.
Agency deploys sanitation marshals for regulation of environmental standards in Akwa Ibom
Nigerian Customs seizes N3.6bn worth of bulletproof jackets, drugs in Ogun
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A Ikeja, has intercepted contraband goods valued at N3.6 billion, including 150 cartons of bulletproof jackets worth N1.687 billion.
Speaking to journalists in Ikeja on Thursday, Kola Oladeji, Customs Area Controller for the unit, revealed that the seizures were made along the Ijebu Ode-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State. Each carton contained 10 packs of bulletproof jackets, which were seized in June.
Oladeji emphasized that the importation of military wares like bulletproof jackets by individuals is strictly prohibited under Schedule 4 of the Customs Common External Tariff. He noted that an end-user certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser is mandatory for such imports.
“These seizures were unique because it was a breach of security, no end-user certificate,” Oladeji stated, highlighting the seriousness of the offense.
The Customs Area Controller also disclosed the interception of other illegal items during the same period, including 989 kilograms of cannabis sativa and 5,229 cartons of expired drugs across various locations in the South-Western States.
Read also: Reps to cut salaries by 50% for 6 months to fight hardship
In addition to these, the unit seized 343,750 liters of premium motor spirit, 7,150 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 32 units of used vehicles, 120 bags of sugar, and 3,560 cartons of poultry products.
Oladeji reported that four suspects were apprehended in connection with various offenses related to import/export guidelines, concealment, wrong classification, smuggling, and policy directive contraventions.
He emphasized that the cumulative duty paid value of the intercepted goods amounts to N3.6 billion. Furthermore, the unit recovered N62 million in revenue for June 2024 through documentary checks and demand notices issued on consignments that were underpaid.
Oladeji called on Nigerians to provide timely and useful information to aid in the arrest of individuals involved in illegal importation activities involving military wares, illicit drugs, and counterfeit goods. He also urged importers and licensed agents to comply with import and export guidelines to avoid losing their goods.
The post Nigerian Customs seizes N3.6bn worth of bulletproof jackets, drugs in Ogun appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Tinubu approves N70,000 minimum wage
President Bola Tinubu has approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers with a promise to review the national minimum wage law every three years.
More details later…
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Contact: [email protected]
High court grants bail to suspected killer of Koro monarch in Kwara
A Kwara State High Court has released one of the suspected killers of Onikoro of Koro, Oba Peter Aremu on bail on health condition.
The suspect, Olowofela Oyebanji, is the second defendant among others who were arraigned before Magistrate Monisola Kamson for the alleged offences of culpable homicide.
Oyebanji’s counsel, Udeh, during their arraignment at the magistrate court, disclosed that his client’s application for bail at the high court has been granted.
He said Oyebanji could not physically appear in court because he was on admission at a Lagos State hospital.
Udeh, however, promised to ensure his presence at the next adjourned date while Magistrate Monisola Kamson who presided over the matter adjourned till August 9th, 2024.
The prosecutor, Abdullah Sanni, had applied to substitute the police report to add another suspect, Saliu Murtala, who was just arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in connection with the case to 14.
Other suspects, Godwin Jacob, Adefalolu Ayodele, Tewasie Francis, Babatunde Samuel, Godwin Joseph, one Issa, Miracle Solomon, Abraham Kehinde, Muhammed Bello, Muhammed Muhammed, Ahmadu Umaru and Muhammed Dankai of different address in Ekiti State, have been remanded.
TVN recalls that one Aremu Simon Adeyemi reported the case at Eruku Police Division and the suspects were subsequently dragged to court for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, kidnapping and giving false information.
Adeyemi, through the police report, narrated how the suspects pointed guns at him, ordering him to follow them when he challenged them after noticing their movement around his grandson.
He said his grandson escaped through the backdoor while the suspects proceeded to kill the monarch and kidnapped his wife and one other person identified as Mercy.
Adeyemi added that he was later released while the deceased wife and Mercy were held hostage.
High court grants bail to suspected killer of Koro monarch in Kwara