Month: May 2020

NYSC at 47: The Unique Trajectory of Africa’s Leading Light in Youth Mobilisation By Emma Obeni

Emporium Reporters

Globally, over 75 countries have some form of voluntary, compulsory, military or paramilitary national youth service including African countries such as Eritrea, Gambia, Burundi, Morocco and Nigeria. Nigeria’s national youth service which is mandatory for graduates of tertiary institutions not above 30 years was established on 22nd May 1973. With current annual mobilisation of about 300, 000 participants, Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is the largest youth mobilisation agency in Africa. It is remarkable and an irony that NYSC which attracted protests against its establishment by the youths earmarked…

EXISTENTIAL THREATS: GOVERNORS TOO COMPROMISED TO ACT By Law Mefor

Emporium Reporters

The response of governors from southern Nigerian divide, especially the South East, to the existential threats confronting their states is pitiable to say the least. Even where they speak at all they speak from many sides of the mouth. They watch their states as they are being invaded by persons who have no legitimate business and whose motives are shrouded in mystery. Even in lockdown, where there is a subsisting presidential order and resolutions of the Nigerian Governors Forum stopping interstate travels, these movements have continued without hindrance as the…

COVID 19: Return to God, Etsu Nupe admonishes Nigerians

Emporium Reporters

The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahya Abubakar, has admonished Nigerians to return to God for divine intervention in the current global coronavirus pandemic. Abubakar, the Chairman of Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, spoke when he addressed a selected group of Islamic preachers and Imams of Juma’at mosques drawn from across the kingdom in his Palace on Wednesday in Bida, Niger State. Alhaji Abubakar advised that with fervent prayers by both the muslim Ummah and adherents of other religions in the country, Almighty God would certainly end the pandemic The monarch…

EIDUL-FITR CELEBRATION: FG declares Monday,,Tuesday public holidays

Emporium Reporters

The Federal Government has declared Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 May, 2020 as Public Holidays to mark this year’s EIDUL-FITRI Celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated all Muslim faithful for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast. Aregbesola who called on Muslims to replicate the life of kindness, love, tolerance, peace and good neighbourliness, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), also expressed his concern about the spate of ethnic conflicts that has…

COVID-19: Senate President distributes Palliatives to thousands of Constituents in Yobe North

Emporium Reporters

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has distributed food palliatives to thousands of residents in Damaturu and the six local government areas in Yobe North Senatorial District of Yobe State. The local governments are: Bade, Nguru, Jakusko, Yusufari, Karasuwa, and Machina, respectively. The gesture by Senator Lawan was aimed at providing relief to residents in Damaturu, the State Capital and his Constituency, who are affected by the lockdown policy following the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The distribution of palliatives was accompanied with the provision of infrared thermometers, chemicals for…

Osun flags off 2020 planting season,empowers 6,000 farmers

Emporium Reporters

The Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on Thursday said his administration was fully committed to developing agriculture value chain in all strata. He said that the government had created an enabling environment for agric businesses to thrive such that more youths and investors youths can earn a living and create employment through the establishment of cottage industries in the state. The Governor stated these while flagging off the Year 2020 Planting at the State Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo. No fewer than 6,000 farmers benefitted from the various farm inputs, equipment …

Council of Ulama cancels Eid-Fitr prayers in Ilorin

Emporium Reporters

The Council of Ulama of the Ilorin Emirate Council has finally cancelled the annual Eid Fitr congregational prayers owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It noted that the cancellation was part of measures adopted to curb the spread of the infection in the state stressing that muslim faithful should observe the two rakat nafilah in their respective homes. ROYAL NEWS reports that the Council is led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Dr. Muhammad Bashir Imam Saliu as well as other clerics on the authority of the Emir of Ilorin…

Kano Islamic Clerics Urge Muslims To Pray At Home …… Reject Ganduje’s Offer

Emporium Reporters

The Chairman Kano State Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil stated that it was advisable for the Muslims in the State to pray at home than attend Eid-prayers. The highest religious body in the State said the decision of Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to observe eid prayers risk increasing the rate of the spread of the life threatening virus. Speaking on BBC Hausa, Wedenesday, Sheikh Khalil hinted that one committed no sin for failing to go to the mosque as far as he has concrete reasons as that…

Is Bashir Tofa working for Kwankwasiyya Movement? By Comrade Ibrahim Abdu Zango

Emporium Reporters

It is interesting for one today to measure the involvement of Alhaji Bashir Tofa in the politics of Kano state. For one, I do not intend to criticise the channel by which this gentleman became an indigene of Kano state, more so, as he always connects his name with Tofa, a town a little distance from Dawakin Tofa. Bashir Tofa was a politician from 1993 to 1997. He contested the presidential election but lost even at his polling ward. He was rejected by his own people because he was not…

NSCIA counters Governors over Eid-el-Fitr

Emporium Reporters

There was an ongoing disagreement between the Sultan of Sokoto and governors of some states in the north over how weekend’s Eid-el-Fitr prayers should be held. The President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA),Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar has given a directive that Muslims should observe the prayers at home as part of their observance of the COVID-19 protocols and to prevent the spread of the virus. The directive came after some Governors in the northern Nigeria States like Kano, Bauchi Yobe, Jigawa, Gombe, Borno and Zamfara have eased…