ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNOR HONOURS APLSCD WITH A SURPRISE VISIT DURING THANKSGIVING

By Augustus Bill
It was a gathering of praise and joy on Sunday for members of the Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder as they marched in glee to the Altar of St John Anglican Church Ekwulobia to thank God for a successful 2017 World Sickle Cell Day Celebration.

Time to restructure Nigeria has come, says IBB

The time to restructure Nigeria has come, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida said on Monday as he launched an appeal to Nigerians to draw back from further campaign of hate the like of which he said led to the 30 month civil war. Former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida during prayers to mark his 75th birthday celebration at the Hilltop, Minna, Niger State Noting his own historic linkages across the various divides in the country, the former military president said that there was little discord among Nigerians of different social classes as he urged Nigerians to synergise their different potentials towards building a great nation. Towards restructuring the country, Babangida called for the devolution of more powers from the federal level to the states even as he urged Nigerians to embrace the creation of state police. He said the fear of state governors using state police to run amok was not as strong as the greater benefit that creating state police would do for the nation. While passionately appealing to leaders of the different divides in the country to show more maturity by reining in the younger elements, the former military president observed that war is not a joke anyone should toy with. General Babangida said: Nigeria, my dear country, is not a stranger to crisis, nor is she immune to it. In a profound sense, she can be said to have been created out of crisis, a nation state that will continue to strive to subdue and transcend crises. In over a century of its

Hits and Misses of Jadesola Osiberu’s ‘Isoken’

Known for her work at Ndani TV, writer/producer Jadesola Osiberu has made her directorial debut with the star studded romcom, ‘Isoken.’ The lineup boasts of Dakore Akande,  Funke Akindele-Bello,  Tina Mba,  Joseph Benjamin,  Marc Rhys,  Damilola Adegbite Attoh,  Rita Edward and  Lydia Forson. Others include Patrick Doyle,  Ngozi Nwosu,  Bolanle Olukanni,  Jemima Osunde,  Bemyoda  and  Nedu. The movie follows the story of the titular character, Isoken played by Dakore Akande as she navigates the storied path of an MSW (Mature Single Woman) in contemporary Nigerian society. Under pressure to marry (like her other sisters), Isoken finally gets a double breakthrough and must ultimately decide between two eligible bachelors from very different backgrounds. Hits Picture quality. The picture is clean and crisp. You can tell that a lot of work went in during the actual and

Mercy Johnson steals show at Benin Glo Laffta Fest as Dep. Gov, others attend

Top government officials in Edo State led by the Deputy Governor, Right Honourable Philip Shuaibu and his wife, MaryAnn, graced the Benin City edition of the Glo Laffta Fest, Nigeria’s foremost comedy brand held at the Flamingo Hall of Best Western, over the weekend.

But it was Mercy Johnson-Okojie, who is married to an Edo State indigene who stole the show as the Benin crowd showed special love for the celebrity guest. Her appearance on stage was greeted with a standing ovation by some of the audience who screamed in excitement.

It’s wrong for a woman to claim equality with a man in marriage —Lilian Larkai

Beautiful and curvy Ghanaian actress, Lilian Larkai has become something of a sensation on the Instagram but not for her hot body or pretty face, but for her philosophic mind, as she continues to reel out life-inspiring messages to her fans almost on daily page on the Instagram. Lilian Larkai The stunning beauty who emerged Best New Actress in Ghana at the Ghana Naija Showbiz Award held in Lagos, Nigeria, recently, is not jumping in the same wagon with pantheon of women who believe

JJC Skillz, Funke Akindele expecting twins

NOLLYWOOD actress, Funke Akindele is back in the news again. This time, she’s apologizing to her teeming fans for the pirating of the DVD of her popular TV show, Jenifa’s Diary, assuring them that the relevant authorities have been reached to clamp down on the culprits. •JJC and Funke However, while the actress took to her Instagram page yesterday, to apologize to fans as well as to inform them that the relevant authorities have been reached to clamp down on the pirates, her rapper husband, JJC Skillz, also took to his Instagram page too to share the good news that they are expecting their first kids together. “Amen amen amen. God I receive your wonderful news in praise. To God be the glory you will be called a mother by your beautiful miraculous twins

How 16 died in UNIMAID suicide bombings

No fewer than 16 persons were killed, following coordinated suicide bombings at the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, and Zannari community in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Sunday night. It was gathered that the bombing started around 10p.m. Mallam Usman Chiroma, a resident of Mairi near the university said: “The noise of the explosions coming from the university woke us up from the sleep around 10p.m. Few minutes after, the explosions spread to other parts of the town, especially around London Ciki.” Mallam Abdullahi Cirani, another resident, who lives around Gidan Dambe, corroborated the claim. He said: “We heard about 10 explosions coming from around the university. The explosions led to a stampede in London Ciki, as residents abandoned their homes for fear of being affected.” He said most residents in the densely-populated London Ciki slept in the open, near the Gwange Cemetery for fear of being attacked. Gove Shettima visits Meanwhile, Governor Kashim Shettima, yesterday, assessed different scenes of multiple suicide attacks at the university after which he approved the immediate release of N50 million for ongoing digging of trenches behind the

ASUU vows to resist increase in varsity tuition fees

No fewer than 38 universities across the country have increased their tuition fees as a result of poor funding by the federal and state governments. ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday. The statement which assessed the two years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office, lamented that the current government had made Nigerians poorer. Omole said public education was not taken seriously because most children of the rich and those in high offices do not attend school in Nigeria. He said: “The latest increment might be attributed to poor funding by the federal and state governments as ASUU poorly rated the President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of funding of university education. “ASUU also noted that it would be difficult for any Nigeria university to effectively compete globally with the inadequate allocation of budgetary funding as prescribed by UNESCO to fund education.’’ It was learned that the University of Lagos, UNILAG, which was paying N14,500 would now pay N63, 500 as tuition fees. Other institutions that increased their fees include, Ahmadu Bello University

Man abducts, exchanges 10-yr-old boy for 3 bags of rice

An unidentified middleaged man abducted a 10-year-old boy, who was on an errand for his mother, and exchanged him for three bags of rice in Ijegun area of Lagos. The suspect, now on the run, reportedly accosted the victim (names withheld), weekend, at Prince Bus Stop, Isheri Oshun, while on the errand for his mother. He was said to have introduced himself to the unsuspecting boy as a relative. In an apparent move to convince the boy, the stranger, followed him to the shop where he was sent to buy a bottle of groundnut oil and thereafter, took him to a shop where he collected three bags of rice. He convinced the salesgirl, identified simply as Deborah, that he was going to get the money, while his brother remained with her. However, that was not to be as the salesgirl waited endlessly without seeing the stranger or the money for the bags of rice, which totalled N48,000. The transaction Speaking with Vanguard, the salesgirl said: “ When the man came to the shop with the boy, he asked how much was a bag of rice. I told him it was N16,000 and he left with the boy, saying he was going to tell the woman that sent them. “Moments later, he came back and said that he needed two bags. Again, he called the purported person that sent them on phone and suggested that they

No oil from N-Delta if North sabotages Osinbajo – Militants

NIGER Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, a militant group in the Niger Delta region, yesterday, warned it would resist with the last drop of its members’ blood, further oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta if the North executes its alleged agenda of sabotaging the acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to thwart the demand for restructuring of the country and fiscal federalism. Osinbajo The militant group, in a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, said: “For those with this sinister motive, because they feel President Muhammadu Buhari is debilitated, we advise them to keep the money to fund their junta government because NDRC will resist with their last blood the use of the oil from the Niger Delta to fund their greed and perfidy.” Underscoring its readiness to stop the flow of oil from the region, the group said: “We call on all oil workers in the Niger Delta to vacate all oil facilities for their own safety. We also call on the operators of the Bonga Oil Field, LNG, NNPC, Port Harcourt Refinery and Warri Refinery to stop all forms of operation