Oyetola reverses Aregbesola’s education policy ….retains opon imo

The Osun State Government on Monday announced the abolition of same school uniform policy for students in public schools in the state, which was introduced by immediate past administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The state government also announced the reversal of the extant 4-5-3-4 policy in public schools to the 6-3-3-4, which was also introduced by the immediate past administration. The Emporium Reporters reports that Governor Gboyega Oyetola had constituted a panel led by a renowned educationist, Prof. Olu Aina, to look at some extant education policies in the state.…

Immunity for lawmakers will leave Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda in tatters, by Kolawole Olaniyan

When Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari was named by the African Union as its first “anti-corruption champion in Africa” in 2018, he called on member states to “invest in institutions to entrench transparency and accountability.” But the recent push by many lawmakers from his All Progressives Congress party to grant themselves immunity from prosecution for corruption would seem to leave Mr. Buhari’s national commitment to tackle corruption in tatters and fatally undermined. The bill, known as: “Bill for an Act to Alter Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic…

Buhari and Sun Tzu’s Art of War, by Philip Agbese

Like Chinese revered war veteran, strategist and tactician, Sun Tzu, once asked the world albeit rhetorically: “Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?” Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is also asking Nigerians whether they have any inkling about what his Government can do with the resurgence of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism? The President is stylistically questioning the reason for the anxiety in people who seem to have gleefully forgotten the deadly blow the Nigerian Military handed down to insurgents under his administration. And why they…

Coronavirus: Prof. Iwu’s team isolates compound for treatment, gets FG’s backing

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, said the Ministry would give all the support it could to Prof. Maurice Iwu and his team on their drug discovery project for coronavirus. The Minister said this on Monday when Prof. Iwu, former Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman and Chairman of Bioresources Development Group, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja. The minister said some time ago, the ministry had given a charge to Nigerian scientists knowing they were capable of providing solutions to COVID-19. Onu said he had tasked…

Pray for Nigeria, Senate President urges religious leaders …Says Longjan’s legacy will continue to unite Nigerians

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has called on religious leaders in the country to pray for Nigeria and its leadership, saying that the country will eventually overcome its tribulations. Lawan stated this in a speech delivered at the funeral mass held for the Late Senator Ignatius Dantong Longjan at St. Louis Catholic Church, Jos, Plateau State. The funeral mass was officiated by the Most Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Reverend Ignatius Kaigama. “We need prayers as a country and a people. We cannot ask for this at a better place.…

SSS trailed me for two years over unfavourable judgment – Retired Judge

A newly retired High Court judge in Akwa Ibom State, Ifiok Ukana, said he was trailed by operatives of the Nigerian secret police, the State Security Service (SSS), for two years, after he delivered judgment on a particular case. The retired judge said he knows that times are bad in Nigeria and that he has paid for his casket, in case he was killed. Mr Ukana said this on February 25 in Uyo during a valedictory service organised for him by the Akwa Ibom state judiciary. The Chief Judge of…

SIM Card Controversy: Presidency’s directive made us detain man for weeks without trial – SSS

The State Security Service (SSS) has told the Federal High Court in Asaba on Friday that it arrested and detained Anthony Okolie, based on a directive from the presidency to investigate him over the use of a SIM card previously used by Hanan, President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter. Mr Okolie was arrested in July 2019 and eventually detained for 10 weeks without trial despite the provision of the Nigerian law that mandates that a suspect not be detained for more than 48 hours by the police (or government agency) without bail or without charging…

Religiously, Socially and Morally Street Begging Is Wrong By Abba Dukawa

Street begging cuts across gender, tribes and age groups, with young children and babies in this ignoble trade. Street Begging seen as a new form of slavery, as stories abound of organized gangs sometimes forcing vulnerable children and women into begging. Even though some peoples related street begging to Muslims or certain tribe. There is no other religion or moral system which teach humans the ways to preserve their integrity, morality and honor as much as Islam does. In Islam, the future of the community and its honor and integrity…

Criminalise child abandonment, MURIC urges Govt

An Islamic human rights organization, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has joined the call for parental accountability in Nigeria. According to the group in a statement issued on Monday, 2nd March, 2020, by its Director,Prof. Ishaq Akintola, child abandonment should be criminalized in order to hold parents accountable and reduce the incident of child neglect. The statement reads: “We are worried about the large number of children roaming the streets. These are the leaders of tomorrow. Our children are our strength but that is only if we give them proper upbringing…

Leaving no child behind in Kwara, By Rafiu Ajakaye

Foundation is everything. Once anything lacks a solid foundation, it is a matter of time before it comes crashing down. Kwara has started the process to give its primary school children one nutritious meal per day, keying into a programme designed by the Federal Government to tackle a number of issues. At the moment, 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory are enrolled in what is called the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme. Only Bayelsa and Kwara are left. Abuja said the programme, launched in 2016, is meant to…