Month: June 2021

Why Must Students Take UTME Every Year? By Farooq Kperogi

Emporium Reporters

Why do students have to take the UTME (the mandatory entrance exam to get into Nigerian higher ed institutions) every single year even when they have no need to? The SAT, America’s rough equivalent of Nigeria’s UTME, has a 5-year validity period. That means if, for any number of reasons, you’re not able to get into a university in a particular year, you can submit scores from any test taken within 5 years. Requiring students to take the UTME every year seems to me needlessly exploitative. I know a student…

61 Athletes to fly Team Nigeria Flag in Tokyo

Emporium Reporters

Team Nigeria will depart for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in two batches with 61 athletes flying the country’s flag, says Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr Sunday Dare. The Minister made this disclosure on Monday while addressing the plenary meeting with National Sports Federations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. According to the Minister, “The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 affected the organisational structures of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This consequently pushed International…

Nasarawa Assembly passes four executive bills

Emporium Reporters

Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed four executive bills into law, among which are laws establishing the Nasarawa State Debt Management Office, as well as the state Public Audit Law, aimed at enhancing accountability and transparency. Speaker of the assembly,Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, announced the passage of the bills into law after the house leader, Hon. Tanko Tunga moved the motion during the House proceedings, on Monday, in Lafia. The bills passed were, a Bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Contributory Health Scheme and Other Related…

CAN Declares July 2 Special Day of Prayers Against Insecurity in Oyo State

Emporium Reporters

Christian Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter has declared that July 2, 2021 will be set aside as a day of intercession against insecurity in Oyo State and the country. This was part of resolutions reached today, between Oyo State government and Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) during a stakeholders meeting with the Christian body in Oyo state. During the meeting, the State Government represented by Hon. Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun and the Executive Assistant on Administration, Rev. Idowu Ogedengbe and CAN agreed to go…

The Buhari In US: That Gen. S.K Usman’s Review By Nathan Emmanuel, PhD

Emporium Reporters

“As the reviewer, Gen. Usman did not judge The Buhari In Us by his own intentions, rather he evaluated it by the intention of the author.” Book review session is an integral component of a book launch as it provides the would-be readers and buyers the opportunity to have a glimpse of the content of the book waiting to be unveiled. The book review is a serious session and it’s mainly handled by thorough and sound individuals. In the last decade, I have attended a quite a number of book…

Restructuring and the 1963 Constitution By Simon Kolawole

Emporium Reporters

Funny how we hardly reach any cross-ethnic consensus in this country, but the campaign for a return to the 1963 Constitution — increasingly becoming the backbone of the “restructuring” agenda — seems popular in southern Nigeria and Benue state. The core argument is that we need to return to regionalism: every region should control its natural resources, take 50 percent derivation, run local councils and create state police “as provided for under the 1963 Constitution”. The 1999 Constitution, according to the #BringBack1963Constitution movement, is a glorified military document fit only…

Gov Sani Bello eulogizes SSG, Ahmed Matane @59

Emporium Reporters

Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has extolled the virtues of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Ahmed Ibrahim Matane as he turned 59. Governor Sani Bello in a birthday message signed by his Chief Press Secretary,Mary Noel-Berje, described the SSG as a humble, disciplined hard working personality who carried out his duties with confidence and passion. He said, the celebrant deserved to be celebrated as he has consistently put the interest of the State above other considerations and undoubtedly injected his intelligence in the growth and development of…

Destroy all Boko Haram terrorists enclaves in your locations – COAS tasks Troops

Emporium Reporters

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Faruk Yahaya on Saturday 26 June 2021 charged troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI to destroy all Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists’ enclaves in their various locations. The COAS made the statement while addressing troops of Sector 2 in Damaturu, Yobe State. General Yahaya further commended the troops on the several successful operations conducted within Sector 2 Area of Responsibility, which he enumerated to include Operations Ayiso Tamunoma, Katana Jimlan, Fire Ball…

Towards amicable resolution of govt-labour dispute in Nasarawa By Ali Abare

Emporium Reporters

It’s generally known that the administration of Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, came onboard, with a template to not only transform the state but equally, reform the structure of the civil service, with a view to improving on the welfare of workers in the state. Coming from the background of the organized private sector, Engineer Sule, knows the significant role civil servants will play, towards actualising the mission and vision of his administration. For this reason and many more, the governor, right from inception, made known his resolve to…

Nigeria can never divide – Gov Bello … says dialogue best way to resolve agitations

Emporium Reporters

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has restated his faith and commitment to the unity of Nigeria, saying the country can never divide. Governor Bello said this at the Abia State Government House, Umuahia when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the state. Bello who was in Umuahia for a burial ceremony of the mother of one of his friends, Chief Emenike Ugochi decided to pay a courtesy call on his colleague in the spirit of brotherliness. “I have always maintained this position that Nigeria can…