My dad died twice, says ex-minister’s son

Femi, the son of the late former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, has said that his father died and came back to life, before he finally gave up the ghost on November 29.

Femi made this revelation during the service of songs organised in honour of his late father at the All Souls Anglican Church, Lekki, Lagos on Sunday.

In an emotion-laden voice, Femi narrated how his father spent his last days on earth and how his mother stood by him.

Why PR Agencies Should Adopt The ‘AMEC’ Measurement Standard - PHILIP ODIAKOSE

 In world over today, the importance of measurement can never be over emphasized. According to the world acclaimed scientist, Galilee Galileo, “Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so.” In recent times, measuring PR effectiveness is being overhauled with the establishment of the Barcelona Principles and dispensing with outmoded (and possibly harmful) methods like AVE. But will the industry, especially locally, make the shift? This is a multimillion dollar question that is still begging for answer. AMEC (the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) held its first ever Measurement Week from 15- 19 September,2014 to educate communications and public relations practitioners about the latest best-practices in measuring the effectiveness of their communications and reputation campaigns. AMEC is the global trade body and professional institute for agencies and practitioners who provide media evaluation and communication research.

You can’t arrest us, Omirin tells Fayose

The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, has reacted to the directive by Governor Ayodele Fayose urging the Ministry of Justice to write a memo authorising the Commissioner of Police to arrest the 19 APC lawmakers that sat in a plenary last Thursday in the state capital.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker, Wole Olujobi, Omirin said APC lawmakers acted within the law to conduct its sitting in a public building in the state capital.
“The governor or the police cannot arrest us for performing our constitutional duty. Section 101 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes it explicit that the House can regulate its activities, including conducting its sittings in public buildings in the state capital. The Supreme Court had also ruled that the House can conduct its sittings in public places in the state capital if conditions exist that endanger members in the conduct of their sittings.

Dana Renews Operational Licence

Dana Air

By Chinedu Eze

As a confirmation of its improved safety and stability in its operations, the Nigerian civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has renewed the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Air Limited, just as the airline hopes to get safety certification from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2015.

The airline said it earned AOC after passing through an exhaustive and successful audit of its entire operations by NCAA.

Obiano’s Wife Leads ASA-Women USA on Walk to End Cancer

A bid to create awareness on the need to check the rising cases of cancer in Nigeria   received a big boost Friday, when the wife of Anambra State governor, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwun Obiano led a road campaign march tagged “Walk for Hope to End Cancer Now” to create awareness on the cancer scourge and raise fund for the establishment of an Ultra-modern Cancer Treatment Centre in Awka, Anambra State.

The awareness march which was organized by the Anambra State Association (ASA) Women USA in collaboration with the Office of the Wife of Governor of Anambra State, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Anambra State Women Association Lagos, Breast without Spot and Saint Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha has as its theme: “Every Life Deserves World Class Care.” The march preceded a seminar at the field of the ABS, Awka, witnessed the campaigners comprising of young and old men and women trek more than two and half kilometres from ABS complex through Aroma Junction en route Enugu-Onitsha Expressway to the Office of the Governor, before terminating at the Office of the Wife of the Governor.

Knighthood: Obiano Charges Obi, Ilozumba to Fight for the Poor, Voiceless

The governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has charged his predecessor in office, Sir Peter Obi and the Hon Commissioner for Works in the state, Sir CallistusIlozumba to use their new position as Knights of St Sylvester to wage a fierce war that will liberate the poor and the voiceless in the society.

Speaking at the special mass held at St Patrick Catholic Church, Awka to mark the investiture of the duo as Knights of St Sylvester, Governor Obiano observed that Knighthood was not an end to the journey but a call to service to mankind.

Brilliantly recalling the historic Siege of Malta when the Ottoman Empire invaded the little island of Malta in 1565 and the heroic exploits of the knightsin the eventual rescue of Malta, Governor Obiano declared that the knighthood demands a high level of social responsiveness from the recipients.

CHUKA OBELE-CHUKA: BEHOLD THE VICTOR UMEH CAMPAIGN DG!

The name "Chuka Obele-Chuka" needs no introduction in the socio-political lexicon of contemporary Nigeria. The gadfly was once called the Gani Faweinmi of the Southeast. He is a fearless activist and a fiery lawyer. He was among the radical Nigerians who dared the military and took to the streets to protest the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. While Easterners in Lagos were fleeing to the East, Obele-Chuka took a bus from East to streets of Lagos to demonstrate against the abortion of the democratic process.

In 1998, dissatisfied with the bleak state of the nation, Obele-Chuka embarked on two day one man demonstration against the murderous regime of Gen. Sani Abacha. Expectedly, he was swiftly detained by the goons of the Sani Abacha iron fist regime. That did not deter Obele -Chuka though.

22 Nigerian Army Officers Facing Military Court In Lagos

A batch of 22 army officers is set to be court-martialed in Lagos in connection with recent military failures in the northeast of Nigeria.
The court, set up by the Major General Tibi, the General Officer Commanding the 81 Division of the Nigerian army, will take place at the Officer’s mess of the Military Cantonment in Ikeja.  The five-man panel will be headed by Brigadier-General CO Ayara.
In the dock will be mainly those officers recently alleged to have abandoned the frontline of the military operations in Adamawa State as Boko Haram militants invaded Mubi and overran Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defense Staff, Alex Badeh.   It is alleged that the officers did not lift a finger against the insurgents.

2015: Jonathan and Buhari will have to “Sign MoU on violence-free elections”- Akinyemi writes

A former Foreign Minister and Deputy Chairman, 2014 National Conference, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has warned of dangers ahead of the February 2015 general elections.
Akinyemi, who accused some Nigerians of readiness to drag the country down the path of disintegration, urged prominent Nigerians to call the two leading presidential candidates to order before the 2015 polls.
It emerged at the weekend that Akinyemi sent a letter dated December 16, 2014, to the President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
He, therein, recalled the conditions precedent before the post election violence of 2011 appear to be child’s play when compared with the already over-charged political atmosphere of the present times.
Akinyemi, however, suggested a way out of the looming doom, which he noted should be considered to the loss of lives in the aftermath of the 2011 elections.
Akinyemi’s letter reads:

Okupe Replies APC on President Jonathan’s N27billion Campaign Donation

Dr Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, has replied the All Progressives Congress’, APC’s condemnation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s N27billion campaign fund.A statement issued by Okupe on behalf of the Presidency read, “Even though we have always known them to be a party with no clear directions, we never thought they could descend so low in exhibiting clear mischief and folly on a critical national issue.

“We wish to reiterate that this government and the PDP will not engage in a dubious practice of collecting money from private individuals and corporate organisations for a purpose only to divert such money to other purposes.