Category: Featured

My Voyage On The (River) Niger

Emporium Reporters

‘Everyone needs a strategy…’ -Lawrence Freedman Three years ago, precisely in November 2015, I was entrusted with the responsibility of being the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the dynamic and amiable Governor of Niger State, Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Sani-Bello. Three years down the road, I can look back with utmost satisfaction and deep sense of fulfilment that I executed my mandate diligently, ethically and professionally in line with global best practices. All these years, I approached each task as every arrowhead should: with passion, dedication, courage, loyalty and an unquenchable…

Ayinla Omowura & The Untold Story By Dr. Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

On May 6, 1980, leader of a Yoruba genre of music called Apala, which had quite a sizeable number of cultic following, was stabbed to death on the head with a beer glass cup in a barroom brawl at Ago Oka, Abeokuta. Ayinla Waidi Omowura, son of Yusuff Gbogbolowo the blacksmith and Wuramontu Morenike, had finally been killed by the scary black club of Death which he had sang sarcastically about in two previous vinyls he did before his death. He died at the Ijaye General Hospital, Abeokuta. The Medical…

In Edward Onoja, A Hybrid Of Achema And Adoja Lives By Abdullahi O.Haruna Haruspice

Emporium Reporters

My people, life should not always be on the bed, celebrate when there is need. Join the milestone achieved with the commissioning of the Igala Unity House- whether politically motivated or not, let it be that a center that speaks the igala identity stands in honour of a people, a tribe and a state. Yahaya Bello will go one day but the Igala Unity House will remain stoically forever until it fades in time. Whatever benefit humanity should be applauded even if it comes from a percieved enemy. Yesterday, history…

My Governor, You Shine In Honour: Happy Birthday

Emporium Reporters

I’m writing to wish Your Excellency a happy birthday and to thank you for your service to our great State; Kogi. Your Excellency, a day like this offers great opportunity to appreciate Your selflessness and unflinching commitment to move our state forward. You have been a role model and an example of selfless leadership to this generation and we are proud to hold you as a leader worthy of emulation. Regarded as a dark horse when you were running for Governor at the primary stage in 2015 and as a…

Sani Musa’s Torturous Journey To The Senate

Emporium Reporters

When his people called on him to be their voices and represents them in the National Assembly little did he knew he was going to face the horrendous voyage of his professional life. He faced the most excruciating political experience perhaps in the history of modern Nigeria. He was greeted with crude injustice, intimidation and elites conspiracy – this time from the party he laboured to build to its present status. The rains of this crude onslaught started for Mohammed Sani Musa in August 2018 when he overwhelmingly won the…

Revving Up Internally Generated Revenue: The Yahaya Bello Formula.

Emporium Reporters

Anyone who is conversant with the internally generated revenue of Kogi State will readily agree that it had been one of the lowest in the country. Sometimes one wonders if the state generates anything on its own at all in the face of the enormous revenue potential the state holdS. The implication of the above is that the state has always depended on fiscal receipts from the federation account to survive. Cut off financial supplies from the federal government and Kogi State will slip into an irreversible coma without further…

What You Know About The New Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila

Emporium Reporters

Femi Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere I federal constituency in Lagos, on Tuesday, emerged the 9th Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives. He floored his main challenger who represents Chanchaga Federal Constituency, Umar Mohammed Bago. ‘Gbaja’, as fondly called, polled 283 votes to defeat Bago who garnered 76 votes out of the total votes cast. Gbajabiamila is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while Bago (also of the APC) was backed for the position by opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila, the new Speaker was born on…

My First Uber Experience By Rafat Salami

Emporium Reporters

Finally, I am on Uber!! Strange? Not quite. Not many of us catch up fast with technology or trends while quite a number of us are Laggards! Life to some of us is better kept simple and practical but it appears technology keeps making it easier for us. Ok. I have never taken Uber though, nearly everyone I know has. I think it is easier to just flag down a cab and I have always done so… well, until my car developed a fault at a place where cabs do…

CHALLENGES OF WOMEN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS MAINSTREAMED ON DAY 3 @ THE Wits’ AFRICAN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CONFERENCE By Omoniyi Ibietan

Emporium Reporters

This morning, Motunrayo Famuyiwa-Alaka of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism; Juliana Francis of New Telegraph Newspapers; and Pauli Van Wyk of Daily Maverick Scorpio, held participants spellbound at the main auditorium of the Science Stadium at the Wits, in their revealing, candour-laced narratives focused on the global challenging environment in which women have to operate as investigative journalists. Given her biological constitution, the woman journalist faces unfair practices in the workplace – practices that compel her to work harder to justify her competence and retention at the reportorial…

INTERVIEW: Why I met Buhari and what Nollywood needs to improve – Adebayo Salami

Emporium Reporters

Veteran Nigerian actor and filmmaker, Adebayo Salami, popularly known by his stage name, Oga Bello, recently celebrated his 54th year on stage. The actor who still features prominently in several Yoruba movies has shown no signs of slowing down just yet. The 65-year-old actor welcomed PREMIUM TIMES into his Ikorodu country home where he opened up on his career, family as well as future plans PT: You began acting as far back as 1964 when the profession was yet to be accorded its recognition. Were your parents in support of…