Month: March 2023

Machina Emirate: Where Snakes Pay Homage To King

Emporium Reporters

Snakes are generally seen as dangerous reptiles, but in Machina Emirate, Yobe State, they are revered. Here, it is believed that royal blood runs in their veins. In fact, they consistently pay homage to the Mai Machinama palace, where their ancestor was born, together with one of their ancestral kings, as twins. According to history, a queen gave birth to twins in the palace, a human being and a snake. Being a snake, it couldn’t stay long with its mother, thus, it found its way into the rocks behind the…

Blue Rail Line: Breaking Barriers of Transportation in Lagos state , By ABUBAKAR YUSUF.

Emporium Reporters

In the last four years of the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state , priorities had been accorded to the development of a robust transportation system.   The positive development had placed the cosmopolitan Lagos hitherto bedeviled with acute sane transportation system improved beyond the residents imagination to the glory of all and sundry.   From land transportation to sea transportation that had reduced to the barest minimum the incidences of the suffering Lagos commuters, that had metamorphosed to the prioritizing of rail transport system in the…

The international politics of observing elections. By Owei Lakemfa

Emporium Reporters

THE 2023 Nigeria presidential and National Assembly elections were contentious and controversial with some calling for outright cancellation. While we all have our views none of which should be discountenanced, I find it curious that some quote the reports of international election observers as if it were the gospel truth. As someone who has officially and unofficially observed elections in Africa, Europe and Latin America, I suggest to those relying on such reports, to do so with the consciousness that observing elections is not value-free.   International election monitors or…

My Bola Tinubu odyssey By Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

Since Wednesday, March 1, 2023, as Persians, Carthaginians and Romans did in penal sanction, I have been literally hung up for crucifixion. It began the moment Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, announced ex-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of last Saturday’s presidential election. Diatribes, sarcasms and mild verbal whiplashing were reserved for me. Like ice cubes, rebukes of me got generously intermixed with cognac of victory celebrations.   It reminds me of celebrated Nigerian journalist, May Ellen-Ezekiel’s piece, Over Cognac, in her column in the Quality…

WSCIJ, CJID to host Twitter spaces on Nigeria media, political leadership and women equity in 2023 elections

Emporium Reporters

Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) will discuss “Nigeria media, political leadership, and women equity” on Twitter spaces to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day (#IWD23) on Wednesday, 8 March 2023 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.   In line with this year’s IWD theme: #EmbraceEquity, the event will have stakeholders discuss how the media have engaged and reported Nigerian women’s participation in the 2023 elections across the sub-national and national levels. It will also suggest roadmaps on how the media…

President-elect Tinubu visits Lagos, thanks Oba Akiolu … promises not to disappoint Nigerians

Emporium Reporters

President-elect Asíwájú Bola Tinubu visited Lagos on Sunday in an homecoming of sort, during which he told Nigerians he would not disappoint them. Tinubu arrived to a tumultuous welcome at the Presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja. He was received among others by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, Chief of Staff Tayo Ayinde, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and other top functionaries in Lagos. The train then proceeded to the Iga-Iduganran Palace where the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, some other traditional rulers in the state and White Cap chiefs…

NATIONAL SECURITY:NISS seeks collaboration with NCC

Emporium Reporters

National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) has engaged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to advance strategic collaboration that would enhance the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) towards improving national security.     Speaking during a visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta at the NCC’s Head Office in Abuja recently, the Institute’s Director, Research Estimates and Library Services, Dr. Adegboyega Karim, said the visit was on a fact-finding mission to enrich ongoing research that focuses on globalization and regional integration for sustainable…

Maiden speech to Nigerians expected from the incoming Minister of Foreign affairs to be appointed by President-elect,Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Emporium Reporters

Gentlemen of the Press. Exactly a week ago i was sworn in as Minster of Foreign affairs after my screening together with other members of the New cabinet by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wish to share with Nigerians the foreign policy direction of the current administration in line with the Manifesto of our great party,the All Progressives Congress and the policy document of the President and Commander-in-Chief of Federal Republic of Nigeria. I accept the responsibility of serving as Minster of Foreign affairs of our…

Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho thanks Constituents for his re-election

Emporium Reporters

The Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District in the National Assembly has expressed gratitude to the people of his constituency for reelecting him as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Jubrin Isah Echocho message read in full Dear esteemed voters of Kogi East Senatorial District , I am Senator Isah Jibrin Echocho, and I am writing to express my deepest appreciation for your unwavering support and trust in me during the recently concluded senatorial election. It is with great joy that I received the news of my resounding…

Court Orders Arrest, Extradition Of Marcus Wade, Two Other Foreigners For Allegedly Defrauding Ecobank Of Over $42 M

Emporium Reporters

BY JOSEPH UNDU, Abuja       The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos before Justice Akintayo Aluko on the 17th of January, 2023 issued a warrant for the arrest and extradition of three foreign nationals, namely Prem Garg, Devashish Garg and Marcus Wade to enable them stand trial in Nigeria over allegation of fraud amounting to US$ 42,485,900.00 (Forty-Two Million Four Hundred and Eighty-Five thousand Nine Hundred Dollars) against a Nigerian Bank. The trio are accused of fraud by Ecobank Nigeria, in a petition to the Department of Public…