The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

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Cult group clash claims 6 lives in Anambra

Rival cults clashed along the popular Zik Avenue, in Awka, Anambra State capital, weekend, reportedly claimed six lives.

Residents of the area, according to sources, scampered for safety as the cultists shot sporadically during the clash for supremacy.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident, said police patrol had been intensified within the area and the entire Awka.

Following the sound of gunshots by Zik Avenue, Awka, police patrol has been intensified in Awka.““Preliminary information revealed that the cause of the shooting was a result of cult-related incident-clash.

The situation is closely being monitored and further development shall be communicated.

(Sun)

November 28, 2022
Pile of damaged Naira notes found in refuse dump

Damaged Naira notes continue to surface following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) redesign of the nation’s currency unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.

But in a video making rounds on social media, bags of damaged naira notes were uncovered at a warehouse in an unknown location at the time of this publication.

The Nigerian currency was stashed in multiple bags for a long period in humid condition leading to its deterioration and decay.

The individuals seen in the video examined each bag with the hopes of seeing untampered notes, but all were already bad.

Meanwhile, in the lead the (CBN) effort to redesign N200, N500, and N1,000 notes currently in circulation, money outside the banking system added N108.67billion to N2.84 trillion in October 2022 from N2.73 trillion in September, its money and credit statistics has revealed.

According to the apex bank’s data, currency outside the banks appreciated by 11.07 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) from N2.54 trillion reported in corresponding period of 2021.

The money and credit statistics revealed that currency outside banks hit the highest record of N2.84trillion in October. While defending its decision to redesign the Naira, the apex bank in October expressed that some individuals were stockpiling huge amounts of cash outside the banking system.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had in a statement said, “Significant hoarding of banknotes by members of the public, with statistics showing that over 85 per cent of currency in circulation are outside the vaults of commercial banks.

“To be more specific, as at the end of September 2022, available data at the CBN indicate that N2.73 trillion out of the N3.23 trillion currency in circulation, was outside the vaults of Commercial Banks across the country; and supposedly held by the public.

“Evidently, currency in circulation has more than doubled since 2015; rising from N1.46 trillion in December 2015 to N3.23 trillion in September 2022. This is a worrisome trend that cannot be allowed to continue.”

The statistics revealed that currency-in-circulation (CIC) grew YoY by 11.22 per cent to N3.3 trillion in October 2022 from N2.97 trillion in 2021.

Analyst and President, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN), Dr. Uju Ogubunka attributed the increasing CIC to politicians’ spending towards the 2023 primary elections.

(Sun)

November 28, 2022
CJN swears in 62 lawyers as SAN

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will today confer Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 62 lawyers elevated to the rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).

The swearing-in ceremony will kick-start the new legal year of the Supreme Court. Among the successful legal practitioners are three lawyers prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). While two of them – Sylvanus Tahir and Rotimi Oyedepo – are employees of the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, is engaged by the anti-graft agency as a private prosecutor for specific cases.

Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hajo Bello, who doubles as the secretary to the LPPC, said the successful candidates comprised 53 in the advocacy category while the other nine are of the academic category.

The rank SAN is awarded as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as advocates and academics.

Members of the Inner Bar, as SANs are fondly called, enjoy some privileges including having seats reserved for them in the front rows of all courts with priority accorded their cases in court.

They are also distinguishable from other lawyers by their attire which is styled differently from the gown other lawyers wear. Theirs is called silk .

Other successful candidates include Bolarinwa Elijah Aidi, a former Director of Public Prosecution DPP, Federal Ministry of Justice, Diri Said Mohammed, Bankole Joel Akamolafe, Mohammed Abubakar, Johnson Ugboduma, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, Christopher Oshomegie, Sanusi Sai’d; Oladipo Tolani; Ayodeji Omotoso; Chijiokr Erondu; Ajoku Obinna; Yakubu Maikasuwa; Henry Omu; Dagogo Iboroma; Joseph Akubo; Gozie Obi; Inam Wilson and Abubakar Gambari. Those from the academia category Kathleen Okafor, Muhammed Andulrazaq, Amokaye Gabriel, Ismail Olatunbosun, Abdullahi Zuru, Joy Ezeilo, Theodore Maiyaki, Olaide G adamosi and Chimezie Okorie.

(Sun)

November 28, 2022
Ademola Adeleke takes oath of office as 6th executive governor of Osun

Senator Ademola Adeleke has been sworn in as the sixth governor of Osun State.

The oath of office was administered on Sunday by Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo at the Osogbo City Stadium in the state capital.

While Adeleke took his oath of office at about 11:50am, his deputy, Kola Adewusi, followed suit some 15 minutes later.

In his inaugural speech, Adeleke said under his watch as the Governor of Osun State, he would correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration which are against the collective interest of the people.

“Let me state here that from the education, health, mining sector, agriculture, road infrastructure and supply of potable water, let it be known to all that it is no longer going to be business as usual. And I repeat, it is no longer business as usual,” he said.

“Our administration will demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and poor infrastructure.

“I am well aware of the fact that my responsibility as the Governor and Chief Security Officer of Osun State entails meeting the legitimate expectations of our people. Therefore, I promise that those expectations of the workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders and indeed all residents of Osun State will be met by the grace of God and the cooperation of everyone.

“As I accept the mantle of leadership entrusted upon me by the people of our dear state, I am conscious of the enormous challenges and responsibilities ahead of me and will begin from this hour workday and night with deep sense of purpose to be a servant to you all.”

Dignitaries present at the well-attended event included the governor’s nephew and popular musician, Davido who made his first public appearance after his son’s death; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate and Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.

Also in attendance are Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa). Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi were not left out.

Adeleke of the PDP won the July 16 governorship election in Osun State after defeating the incumbent and main rival, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is his second shot at the governorship race after having failed in his first attempt in 2018 where he lost to Oyetola.

Meanwhile, the immediate past governor in a farewell statement to Osun residents, said his administration is leaving behind ₦14 billion cash in the state treasure.

He noted that his government had paid ₦97 billion of the debts it inherited from the administration of Rauf Aregbesola in 2018.

Oyetola added that the results of the last gubernatorial election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which favoured Senator Ademola Adeleke is already being challenged at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

(Channels TV)

November 27, 2022
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs writes Finance Minister, seeks explanation on N206bn 2023 budget

THE Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, headed by Sadiya Umar Farouq, has written a letter to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, headed by Mrs Zainab Ahmed, seeking clarification on the N206 billion inserted into its 2023 Appropriation Bill.

Farouq insisted that she knew nothing about how the controversial figure was inserted into the budget.

It is not only the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development who is accusing the Finance Ministry of budget padding. The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd), also told the Senate during budget defence sessions that the finance ministry had inserted N11bn into his 2023 budget. Similarly, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, pointed accusing fingers at the Finance Ministry for padding his ministry’s budget proposals.

Worried at the development, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, in a letter dated, Wednesday November 23,2022, dispatched to the Federal Ministry of Finance, requested the cooperation of her finance counterpart in clarifying how the amount came into the budget,given that the 2023 budget proposal her ministry released to the Budget Office did not contain the figure.

A meeting convened on Wednesday by the minister and attended by top management staff of the ministry including the permanent secretary and directors,ended in the evening with a resolution that a letter requesting explanation from the finance ministry be transmitted.

A source in the Finance and Accounts Department of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development,told Vanguard that the letter was immediately drafted, and sent to the finance ministry.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source said:”As a ministry, we have just sent a letter today (Wednesday) to the Federal Ministry of Finance, requesting clarification on the additional figure inserted into our ministry’s budget in the 2023 fiscal year..

“Going by the content,we expect a response from the Ministry of Finance between now and Friday after which we will reach out to the National Assembly on our position. We are disturbed and the minister is not leaving anything to chance. We want a quick clarification of the inserted figure in our ministry’s 2023 budget proposal,”he said

Also speaking on the issue, a top policy maker in the ministry,who didn’t want his name released to the public, said Farouq was embarrassed when she was asked about the amount by members of the Senate Committee on Special Duties when she appeared before the committee to defend her ministry’s 2023 budget proposal at the National Assembly.

“I was there, the Senate Committee asked the minister how she came about the additional money outside the initial proposal submitted to the Budget Office and the minister responded that she didn’t know. Truly, as a ministry,we didn’t know how the N206 billion found its way into the ministry ‘s budget proposal.

“Everything about that money, she (minister) actually does not know anything about it. And like I said, as a ministry,we don’t know. We just saw it there,”he said

Finance Minister fails to react

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, failed, as she neither picked calls made to her, nor responded to a WhatsApp message sent to her.

Budget Office to react next week

Spokesman at the Budget Office of the Federation, Olajuwon Afolabi, however told Vanguard that “the matter is too technical for outright response having just surfaced at the National Assembly during the week”. He said the office was working on the appropriate response which he will communicate next week.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs had told the National Assembly committee that her ministry requested for some projects for the North East Development Commission,NEDC, and the National Social Safety Net Project in the 2022 budget but they were not released, expressing surprise that the money inserted, was now ten times of the 2023 proposed budget of her ministry.

The minister who expressed surprise told the Committee that, “Yes we made mention of the projects for 2022 which was not released and part of it was part for the NEDC.

“The money was not released and now we have seen it recurring by almost 10 folds and we are also going to clarify from the Ministry of Finance to know why this increase despite the fact that the previous year, the money was not even released for the project. So we will get the details then send to you on that”.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had expressed disappointment at budget padding, describing it as worrisome. Responding to queries on the issue, while briefing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Malami said the Federal Government was studying the revelations and would explore available measures to address it. According to him, “the government is concerned and will do what is necessary to address the issue.”

Federal lawmakers had raised concerns about the abuse of the budget process following submissions by some government agencies that some amounts were inserted into their estimates without their knowledge allegedly by the ministry of finance.

Officials from the National Universities Commission (NUC), Ministries of Defence, Power and Humanitarian Affairs, during ongoing National Assembly budget hearings, disowned some line items running into billions of naira in their 2023 budget proposals.

They told lawmakers that they could not explain what the sums were meant for or the details of the projects tied to the funds since they were not part of their proposals sent to the finance ministry for the 2023 fiscal year. They blamed the finance ministry for inserting the money into their budgets.

On November 5, 2022, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Rashid, told the joint Senate and House Committee on Tertiary Education and TETfund during budget defence, that N12 billion was inserted by the Ministry of Finance into the agency budget.

He said, “In NUC’s budget we have a problem. We had additional money given to us that we didn’t request, but I later went to the Ministry of Finance to find out because our budget was always hovering around N3 billion with about N2 billion for personnel, about N700-N800 million for capital, about N700 million for overhead. But last year, we saw an additional N12 billion given for World Bank projects. The World Bank projects are not processed through this mode.”

Also on November 17, the Ministry of Defence during a budget hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Defence blamed the finance ministry for the N10.8bn inserted into their budget.

The vice chairman of the committee, Senator Istifanus Gyang, said N8.6bn was discovered to have been allocated for the purchase of military hardware and N2.25bn for Safe School Initiative.

“The two items, when critically viewed, were not supposed to be in the ministry’s budget since hardware procurements are done by the army, navy and air force; and the Safe School Initiative by the Federal Ministry of Education,” he said.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, said the money was inserted into the ministry’s budget by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

On November 1, the Senate Committee on Power also discovered N195bn earmarked as counterpart funding for bilateral and multilateral projects in the ministry of power’s 2023 budget proposal. The chairman of the committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam, in an interview, said his panel, after interfacing with the officials of the ministry during the budget defence session, found out that even the ministry was not aware of the projects.

Suswam said budgetary allocations for such projects were being made every year but they were never seen, and that the power ministry could not explain how the money was expended.

Senators and House of Representatives members said the revelations by heads of agencies, blaming the finance ministry for unknown line items in their budget estimates vindicated members of the National Assembly who are mostly being accused of budget padding.

They said the situation was worrisome, especially at a time the country requires fiscal discipline in the face of falling revenue and increasing deficits.

(Vanguard)

November 26, 2022
Emefiele links rising inflation to global trends, targets $200bn non-oil export revenue

Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday said the steady increase in headline inflation from 15.60 per cent in January to 20.77 per cent in September was consistent with global trends.

Emefiele said this at the 57th Annual Bankers Dinner, organised by the Chartered institute of Bankers Nigeria (CIBN), on Friday in Lagos.

The dinner had the theme, “Radical Responses to Abnormal Episodes: Time for Innovative Decision-making” wass appropriate and well timed.

He also said headline inflation soared to 20.77 per cent in September, indicating eight consecutive months of uptick, and that the upward momentum was after a successive period of decline in 2021, due to balanced monetary policy actions.

He said upside pressure on consumer inflation re-emerged during the year, as global conditions complicated existing local imbalances to undermine price stability.

“Food remains the major component of domestic consumer price basket. The annualised uptick in headline inflation mirrors the 6.21 percentage points upsurge in food inflation to 23.34 per cent in September.

“During this period, core inflation also resumed an upward movement from 13.87 per cent in January to 17.60 per cent.

“In addition to harsh global spill overs, exchange rate adjustments and imported inflation; inflation was also driven by local factors such as farmer herder clashes in parts of the food belt region,” he said.

Emefiele said during the early part of 2020, the world economy experienced the most significant downturn last witnessed since the Great Depression following the outbreak of the COVID-19pandemic.

He said the effect contracted global GDP by about 3.1 per cent in 2020, and commodity prices went into a state of turmoil as the price of crude oil plunged by over 70 per cent.

He said as the world struggled to recover to pre-pandemic conditions, the global economy was yet again hit by another adverse occurrence with the eruption of the Russian-Ukraine war.

He said the war, along with the sanctions placed on Russia by the US and its allies, led to a spike in crude oil prices.

He said in the attempt to contain rising inflation, advanced markets such as the US, began to increase their policy rates, which led to a tightening of global financial market conditions along with a significant outflow of funds from emerging markets.

“The subsequent strengthening of the US dollar further aggravated inflationary pressures, along with a weakening of currencies, and depletion of external reserves in many emerging market countries.

“Today close to 80 per cent of countries have reported heightened inflationary pressures due to a confluence of some of the factors mentioned above,” said Emefiele.

He explained that central banks in emerging markets and developing economies, in a bid to contain rising inflation were also compelled to raise rates, which was expected to lead to a tapering of global growth over the next year.

“In fact, the short-term global growth projections by the IMF have been downgraded three times in 2022 and is likely to be below the 3.2 per cent and 2.7 per cent estimates for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

“Average growth among advanced economies is projected to plunge from 5.2 per cent in 2021 to 2.4 per cent in 2022 and 1.1 per cent in 2023.“Estimated output growth in emerging markets, is expected to slow from 6.6 per cent in 2021 to 3.7 per cent apiece in 2022 and 2023,” he said.

He said in view of the food, energy, and cost-of-living crises in many countries, there were growing restrictions on food exports from many countries.

“As at the last count, about 23 countries, mainly in advanced economies, according to the World Bank have banned the export of 33 food items. “Seven other countries have additionally implemented various measures to limit food exports,” said Emefiele.

On currency redesign, Emefiele said, “Analysis of the key challenges primarily indicated a significant hoarding of banknotes, as over 85 per cent of currency in circulation were held outside banking system.

“This is even as currency in circulation more than doubled from N1.46 trillion in December 2015 to N3.23 trillion in September 2022; a worrisome trend that must be curbed.”

He, therefore, said the policy would quicken the attainment of cashless economy as it was complemented by increased minting of the eNaira.

According to him, the redesigned notes will also curtail currency outside the banking system, and as the monetary policy becomes more effective, it will help rein in inflation.

Earlier, Dr Ken Opara, CIBN president, commended Emefiele, saying he had during the year, continued to be purposeful in curtaining economic shocks from the aftermath of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He commended him for keeping inflation and other related economy indices, especially the naira, from distortions exacerbated by declining production levels fueled by high cost of production, insecurity, dwindling government revenues, foreign exchange volatility and uncertainty in the global oil market.

Opara said, “through the careful management of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), the CBN continued to drive the recovery path of the Nigerian economy through the expansion of credit to the real sector, guided management of foreign reserves and promoting sound financial environment and monetary policy.”

The Annual Bankers’ Dinner is a platform where stakeholders of the banking community gather to reflect on the developments in the banking industry and economy over the past year, while gaining economic insights for the year to come.

(Vanguard)

November 26, 2022
Uchenna Anioke re-elected President, Nigerian Publishers Association

Delegates to the 2022 Annual General meeting of the Nigerian Publishers Association, NPA, have unanimously re-elected Chief Uchenna Cyril, PhD, as her President for a second term.

The result of the election which was was held on November 25, 2022, at the Rock View(Royale) Hotels, Abuja, was announced by Dr. Samuel Okere, Director, Babcock University Press, who served as Chairman of the electoral committee.

According to Dr. Okere, Dr. Anioke was returned unopposed since as at close of return of nomination forms, no other person had returned any nomination form to the electoral body.

He further stated that Anioke and his entire executive council members were returned unopposed. Continuing, Okere further stated that results of the elections were eloquent testimonies to Anioke’s uncommon achievements during his first tenure.

Others re-elected include, Alhaji Lukeman Dauda of Evans Publishers Plc, as Vice President; Chief Austin Onwubiko, Mangaing Director of Africana First Publishers, as Deputy President, East; Dr Tahir Abdullaziz of Global Publishers, as Deputy President North; Mrs Folashade Shinkaiye of Sterling Books Nigeria, as Deputy President, West and the former president of NPA, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo of Accessible Publishers Limited, as ex-officio member.

In his acceptance speech, Anioke dedicated his re-election to God Almighty. He promised that the Nigerian Publishers Association will be taken to enviable heights. He therefore enjoined the delegates and members of the Association to look forward to a repositioned NPA in the coming weeks.

Dr. Anioke announced that various standing and ad hoc committees will be set up before December 15 and requested members of the Association to kindly accept to work vigorously in any committees they may find their names.

November 26, 2022
Court orders arrest of Imo state Deputy Speaker

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, issued warrant for the arrest of the Deputy Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, following his alleged involvement in a N785million fraud.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigeria Police, the Department of Stats Services, the Nigerian Immigration Services and the Interpol, to arrest the lawmaker on sight, “anywhere he is sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce him before this honourable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja”.

The order for Iwuanyawu’s arrest was sequel to an ex-parte application dated November 14, which the EFCC brought before the court through its lawyer, Mr. Olanrewaju Adeola.

In the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2124/2024, EFCC, told the court that it got an intelligence that the lawmaker had since escaped from the country and is currently hiding in the United States of America, USA.

It told the court that the Respondent refused to make himself available to respond to a petition that was lodged against him and his company, Sun Gold Estate Limited.

According to the EFCC, a firm, Hakiz Investment Company Limited, had in the petition that was signed by its lawyer, Mr. A. A Malik, SAN, and addressed to its Chairman, alleged that it had sometime in 2012, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Iwuanyawu’s company to develop an estate comprising of 14 units of 4 bedroom terrace and one blocks of 6 flats on the petitioner’s land situated at Mabuchi Abuja.

It told the court that the agreement was that upon the completion of the estate by the Respondent, the complainant, who is the owner of the land, would take 40% of the building, while the Respondent, being the developer, would take 60% of the building.

However, the anti-graft agency alleged that its investigations revealed that “upon completion of the estate, the Respondent sold all the buildings and criminally diverted the funds without the knowledge of the Complainant”.

“That the market value of 40% of the buildings is about N785million.

“That investigation is still ongoing and all invitations extended to both Iwuanyanwu and his company proved abortive.

“That a lawyer to the Respondent had on one of the occasions, received a copy of the invitation on his behalf and made promises that he would be available for questioning.

“That there is an intelligence report that the Respondent is in the USA

“That without the suspect being apprehended or voluntarily coming to state their side of the story, the investigation will be incomplete.

“That in the light of the calculated effort by the suspect to remain evasive, there is need to place the suspect on watch list of the Commission, the police and any other law enforcement”, EFCC averred in an affidavit that was deposed to by one of its officials, Ufuoma Ezire.

EFCC maintained that it would be in the interest of justice for the court to issue an arrest warrant against the Respondent.

It predicated the application for an arrest warrant to be issued against the Respondent on section 35(1) (c ) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, sections 3, 37 and 39(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as well as sections 6, 7, 13 and 41 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004.

The Commission told the court that it had since written investigation activities letters to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Banks, and other relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that there was merit in the ex-parte application and accordingly granted it.

Specifically, the court, made an order: “Issuing a warrant of arrest against Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu.

As well as, “An order of this honourable court authorizing and or directing the EFCC, Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, the Nigerian Immigration Services and the Interpol to arrest on sight Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyawu anywhere sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce her before this Honorable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja”.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till February 23 for report

(Vanguard)

November 25, 2022
FG reintroduces history in basic schools

The Federal Government, yesterday, announced re-introduction of history as a stand alone subject in basic education system in Nigeria, 13 years after it was abolished.

No fewer than 3,700 teachers have also been shortlisted for the first round of training for enhanced teaching of the subject.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, disclosed this during a flag-off ceremony of the re-introduction of teaching of history and training of history teachers at basic education level, in Abuja.

Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, described the earlier moves that culminated in the removal of the subject in basic schools as monumental mistake which the country is already reaping its negative effects.

“History used to be one of the foundational subjects taught in classrooms but for some inexplicable reasons, some things happened, and as a result, history was subsequently expunged from the list of subject combination in our schools.

“This single act, no doubt, relegated and eroded the knowledge and information that learners could have been exposed to. It was a monumental mistake and we have already started seeing its negative consequences

“The loss created by the absence of this subject has led to a fall in moral values, erosion of civic values, and disconnect from the past. More worrisome was the neglect of the teaching of this subject at basic and post-basic levels of education which invariably eroded the knowledge of the evolution of Nigeria as a country.”

The minister added that the training and retraining of teachers in order to enhance their capacity development that would lead to the mastery of the subject would be a focus of the re-introduction.

He said: “Teachers will be provided with the requisite skills needed to teach the subject, the technique, methodology which will eventually give the subject a didactic outlook that will arouse the interest of the children to listen with rapt attention and remove the initial barriers that may have inhibited learning.”

Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hamid Bobboyi, explained that the 3,700 history teachers selected from the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would participate in the training.

He said the selection was done on pro-rata (proportional) basis with 100 teachers each from a state and FCT, stressing that the training would equip them with the necessary skills to teach the subject, especially with the modification of the subject content.

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, in his goodwill message, said Nigeria is still evolving and striving to achieve nationhood, adding that the rich history of the country’s diverse constituents should be explored and exploited to serve as an effective tool for nation building.

He appealed to traditional rulers as custodians of the nation’s rich culture, traditions and values, and indeed, all Nigerians, to support the bold step taken by the government and given effect by UBEC, to return the teaching of history as a subject at basic education level.

“We owe it a duty to encourage research for the documentation of the history of our people and should be forthcoming in granting access to historical records in our custody,” he said.

(Sun)

November 25, 2022
Breaking: Gospel singer Sammie Okposo is dead

Ace gospel singer, Sammie Okposo, is dead.

The singer died on Friday morning, The PUNCH gathered. He was 51.

His project manager, Hillary Vincent, confirmed the news to our correspondent via phone call.

Responding to inquiries, he said, “Yes it’s true. It happened this morning.”However, unverified sources on the Internet stated that the singer slumped before he was pronounced dead.

The Wellu Wellu master, as he was fondly called, was an internationally-recignised music producer, psalmist, and CEO of Zamar Entertainment.

He released his first album Addicted in 2004.

More details shortly….

(Punch)

November 25, 2022
Adekunle Gold, Burna Boy, others, slammed by NDLEA Boss for exalting drug abuse in lyrics

Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has slammed Nigerian artistes who glorify the abuse of drugs and substances in their songs.

Marwa lamented how the drug-promoting lyrics from songs have become a buzzword among youths, noting how the young population, on the strength of these songs, have come to see drug abuse as a ‘grand idea of leisure’.

The NDLEA boss who was represented by Dr. Segun Oke said this during the 2nd edition of the Vanguard Mental Health Summit held in Lagos on Thursday with the theme being: ‘Mental Health in a Distressed Economy’.

According to Marwa, drug abuse is a ‘serious’ problem in the country, revealing that 10.6 million Nigerians abuse cannabis.

He stated that the agency has continued to put measures in place to curb the abuse of drug and substances in the country.

“The “high syndrome” is so entrenched among young people it has become a sort of self-prescription therapy for dealing with some of life’s issues. For some, it is the grand idea of leisure. It is a buzzword in their everyday life and a motif in popular music. Offhand, I can give you three quick examples of hit songs that glorify the abuse of psychoactive substances in the name of “getting high”.

” ‘I just want to be high’, ‘I need Igbo and Shayo’, ‘Sometimes food no dey give man joy, but Canadian loud, the feeling is different.’ These street anthems motivate young people to abuse alcohol, cannabis and other illicit substances. It is now commonplace for young people to organise cannabis parties,” he said.

Marwa lauded the reporters for putting together the summit, emphasizing how silence, passivity and complacency have contributed to the rise in the level of drug abuse in the country.

“Our silence, passivity and complacency in the past is what led us to where we are today. That is why every effort to now salvage the situation, including this summit, is welcome and laudable and most importantly, must be decisive and sustained.

(Vanguard)

November 24, 2022
[PICTORIALS] Peter Obi meets Soludo in Awka

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi and the Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo met today in Awka.

Obi and Soludo, who met at St Patrick Cathedral, Awka, during the Thanksgiving mass of Most Rev. Bishop Ezeokafor’s 70th birthday, could be seen embracing each other, while they exchanged pleasantries.

Recall that Soludo had earlier alleged that the investment of Obi in Anambra state government was worth next to nothing.

Soludo made this assertion in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today last Thursday.

When asked his perspective on government investing outside the public sector with reference to Obi as former governor in Anambra, Soludo simply said, “I don’t know about the investment.”

“Our interview is about the 2023 budget. I’m not talking about investments of any of my predecessors. By the way the one that you talked about I don’t know about that. I think there was something I read about somebody speculating about whatever investment. With what I’ve seen today, the value of those investments is worth next to nothing. So, let’s leave that aside,” he said.

https://twitter.com/PO_GrassRootM/status/1595731862437101568?t=XHO2JXlOLef_vG2uiQSPcg&s=19

(Vanguard)

November 24, 2022