The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: News

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  • Covid 19 : Two professors in UNILAG test postive for covid 19

    There is palpable fear among workers and residents of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, as two more professors including a law lecturer and incumbent attorney-general of Oyo State, Oyelowo Oyewo, have been confirmed positive of the deadly coronavirus disease.

    This is coming on the heels of the country’s new record high figure of confirmed cases as announced on Wednesday evening by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    The centre had announced a total of 1,664 new cases which ranks as the country’s highest daily figure so far since the index case was first recorded on February 27, 2020.

    But while Mr Oyewo neither picked his call nor replied to a text message sent to him on the matter, the chief press secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Taiwo Adisa, simply said; “I don’t comment on what I don’t know.”

    Meanwhile, a top management official at the university, who does not want to be named due to the confidentiality of the matter, confirmed that both Mr Oyewo and a professor of African History at the university’s department of history and strategic studies, faculty of arts, Rufus Akinyele, are down with the disease.

    The source, however, learnt that while Mr Akinyele has been discharged from an isolation centre at the infectious disease hospital (IDH), Yaba, Lagos, and recuperating at his official quarters on the campus, Mr Oyewo is on self-isolation at an undisclosed location.

    Contact tracing

    The university in partnership with relevant authorities has also commenced the tracing of some contacts following the <span;>death of the institution’s former dean of the faculty of education, Duro Ajeyalemi<span;>, on Wednesday.

    This newspaper exclusively learnt that Mr Ajeyalemi had on December 31 reported at the university’s medical centre before he was referred to the university’s teaching hospital in Idi-Araba.

    The university’s vice-chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who confirmed the contact tracing process to our reporter on the phone, however, allayed the fear of the residents.

    Mr Ogundipe said the doctors and other officials that attended to Mr Ajeyalemi at the medical centre had been asked to self-isolate while they also go for proper testing.

    “We are making efforts to ensure that those to be tested for the disease are able to get tested on time. There is no need for panic, the situation is well under control but we advise everyone to follow the Covid-19 guidelines and protocols adequately,” Mr Ogundipe, a professor, said on the phone.

    Further findings by our reporter revealed that an unidentified daughter of one of the lecturers on the campus was also on Wednesday transferred to LUTH with the medical centre’s ambulance.

    But the vice-chancellor said he could not confirm the report, saying he was yet to be briefed on any development relating to that.

    Panic on campus

    Many academic and non-academic workers who spoke with  The Source on condition of anonymity said they are afraid of moving around on the campus for fear of interacting with possible carriers of the virus.

    The vice-chancellor also confirmed that he had to work from a hideout on the campus on Wednesday to avoid contacts with many visitors who might want to sympathise with him and the university on the death of two retired professors – Oye Ibidapo-Obe and Duro Ajeyalemi.

    The two dons had died within the same week having contracted the disease. Though it is unclear whether they both attended the same event, the rumour circulating the campus was that both Ibidapo-Obe and Ajeyalemi, among other lecturers of Ijesha origin had recently attended a social event in Ikoyi.

    Mr Oyewo was also recently hosted at a reception in his honour over his attainment of the status of a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    A lecturer in the university’s faculty of social sciences told our reporter on the phone that he would not risk any interaction with anyone, and “so I have opted for virtual channels to interact with anyone.”

    The university’s deputy vice-chancellor in charge of development services, Folasade Ogunsola, had on Wednesday advised Nigerians to avoid partying “at this critical time.”

    The professor of medical microbiology said the best precaution is for people to use masks appropriately and sanitise their hands regularly if they don’t have access to running water and soap.

    Source : www.premiumtimesng.com

  • US : Joe Biden certification by the United States Congress

     

    After the chaotic scenes in the US Capitol Washington where supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building in anger over his election defeat. The United States Congress has affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Donald Trump on Thursday.

     

    The counting of Vermont’s three electoral votes put Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris over the 270-threshold needed to win the presidency.

    The certification comes after Pro-Trump rioters invaded the US Capitol on Wednesday.

    Congress rejected challenges to Biden’s win in Arizona and Pennsylvania. Efforts were made to challenge the counts in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin, but after the mob violence, Senate Republicans dropped objections to Biden’s wins there, eliminating any need for debate.

     

    “The announcement of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January 2021 and shall be entered together with the list of the votes on the journals of the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Vice President Mike Pence said following the count of all the Electoral College votes.

     

    The news source reports that the disgraceful riot at the US Capitol had sent lawmakers scrambling for safety, but members of Congress returned undeterred to fulfill their duty in certifying Biden’s 306-232 Electoral College win.

     

    Some of the lawmakers, who earlier supported Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, made a U-turn after the “shameful” incident that led to the death of one woman.

     

    After the affirmation of Biden’s 306-232 victory over Trump, the president immediately released a statement pledging an “orderly transition“.

     

     

     

    “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th,” he said.

     

    Biden had called the violence an “insurrection“, saying, “Our democracy’s under unprecedented assault. This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now.”

     

    Historians said it was the first time that the Capitol had been taken over since 1814 when the British burned it during the War of 1812.

     

    For more than two centuries, the joint session of Congress has been a quiet, ceremonial event that formally certifies the election winner.

     

    Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, closely aligned with Trump throughout his presidency, had tried to prevent the challenges. He noted that the election results were not even close, and that dozens of courts had thrown out lawsuits alleging irregularities.

     

    “If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a d eath spiral,” McConnell said.

     

    Source : www.punchng.com

  • Explosion : Rivers state residents panic as gas explosion shatters their community

     

    The Rivers State Government and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency have said they will investigate the gas pipeline explosion, which shattered the serenity of Oduoha and Elibrada communities in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.

    Sources told our correspondent that the rupture occurred around 3am, resulting in a leakage, which caused tremor, though there were conflicting claims by residents as to whether the incident took place in Oduoha or Elibrada.

    The state Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Peter Medee, said officials of the ministry had been assigned to visit the location as the government would not rely on third party information.

    “I have passed on the information to the Head of Department of Petroleum and Gas. So, they will go there tomorrow (Thursday) to get all the facts, because we cannot rely on any information that is given to us by a third party. They will go there and then feed me back before we can go to the press,” the commissioner stated.

    Similarly, the Port Harcourt zonal Director of NOSDRA, Ime Ekanem, said the agency was aware of the leakage, adding that efforts were on to avert a possible fire outbreak though he did not say if any preventive measure had been put in place.

    “We are aware of the gas leakage at Emuoha and the agency is going to respond. Our investigation is tomorrow (Thursday). By the time we visit the scene and come back, we will be able to give details of what really happened,” Ekanem stated.

    Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Emuoha Local Government Area, Tom Aliezi, said Oveku and Oduoha communities were affected but no life was lost to the incident.

    Aliezi stated, “Around 3am, I received a call from Eduoha because of the incident. When I asked what happened, I was told that one of the pipelines ruptured. I immediately contacted the security agencies. I called the LNG zonal controller in Emuoha Local Government Area, but he didn’t take his call.

    “Then I spoke to the Controller of Pipelines and he said he was going to immediately make his management know about it. When he called me back, he said they moved in at once and that what they had been able to do was to stop the flow.

    “I was there myself, so I said: ‘I am standing there, none of your people are here. So, whatever you are going to do, please do’. So that has been the situation. They said they came. I didn’t see them. We are still on them. As I speak, I am in Emuoha.”

    Aliezi added that he had reached out to the operators of the oil and gas facility for them to take charge of the situation and advised residents of the area to steer clear of the scene.

    He stated, “I have advised my people to stay clear. So far, there is no casualty and from the information reaching me, I think it is an eroded pipeline, but that is subject to investigation.

    “For now, everybody should stay clear of that place until we are sure that the experts are there to advise on what to do.”

    Earlier, residents of Elibrada and Uduoha had raised the alarm of a possible fire outbreak as the deafening sound of gas leakage could be heard miles away, while the escaping gas could be seen from the facility located in the middle of the forest.

    An eyewitness and indigene of Emuoha, Chizi Enyi, said the area was experiencing tremor due to the burst pipeline.

    He said, “It is a gas pipeline rupture, but it is without fire and it has been making noise since 2am. I visited the site and the noise is too loud.

    “However, we got information that the NLNG and Agip (companies believed to be the operators) people are mobilising to the place.

    “Let me also thank the local government chairman for his quick response in trying to make all the necessary contacts to ensure that the leakage is stopped. So, we are still waiting for the companies to see how they can stop the leakage.”

    Another indigene of the Emuoha said the whole area and nearby communities were enveloped by the odour of gas.

    “We have been calling on the fire service but they have not been responding to calls. We are living in fear. For now, we have not heard of any casualty, but we are afraid there could be fire anytime,” the indigene stated.

    It was gathered that the facility was being jointly operated by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company and the Nigeria Agip Oil Company.

    As a result of the development, it was gathered that some of the residents had fled the area.

    Speaking on the development, the Paramount Ruler of Oduoha, Chief Ferdinand Ogbuehi, said the leakage caused panic in the community, adding that many residents had already fled.

    He stated, “From 4am till now, the people have been living in fear. The vibration has sent many packing. We are not at rest at all. We had not seen this type of thing before. We want the government to come and see what is happening.

    “We have announced to the people that nobody should go to the scene. We don’t want a fire outbreak from that place to destroy our community. We want the government to come. We are afraid of going closer to the place.”

    Also speaking, acting Paramount Ruler of the Elibrada community, Abel Obillor, called on relevant government agencies to intervene and protect the area from any harm that the leakage could cause.

    He said, “Around 3.55am, we heard a sound. Everyone in my community ran to the junction. The sound can still be heard from that particular place. I called on my people to stay away from the place and until the government comes to our rescue.

    “We don’t know how this thing came about. We need the government to come and help us and see what is happening here. Our crops and everything will be affected; so, we need help.”

     

    Source : http://punchng.com

  • 2023 Presidency: Ekweremadu, Anyim, others call for zoning to S/East

    NOTABLE Igbo leaders yesterday urged all the major political parties in the country to cede their presidential tickets to the South-East geopolitical zone in 2023 in the interest of justice, equity and national unity. Rising from a cross-party meeting of South-East leaders in Igbere, the home country of Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu, the leaders said that the South-West and the South-South zones, which together with South-East make up the South had respectively produced presidents in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    In a communique jointly signed by Kalu; former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon . Nkeiru Onyejeocha; Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu; and Chief Chekwas Okorie at the end of the meeting, the leaders also called on Nigerians across all geopolitical zones and ethnic nationalities to support a Nigeria’s president of Igbo extraction in 2023. The communique read: “Political leaders of the South-East across all political persuasions met at Igbere, Abia State, on January 5, 2021 to discuss the political future of the geopolitical zone vis-à-vis the 2023 general election. “The meeting recalled that Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious divides fought hard, long, and collectively to enthrone the current democratic dispensation as the surest way to engender national development and guarantee a just and equitable society where every section of the country enjoys a sense of belonging. “The meeting observed that the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has rotated between Northern and Southern Nigeria and among the various geopolitical zones. Thus, the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country have produced the President of Nigeria. ”Hence as power is expected to rotate to the South in 2023, the meeting noted that the South-East is the only zone in the South that is yet to produce a President of Nigeria in the current democratic dispensation.
    “The meeting further observed that the people of the South-East have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the unity and development of the country. Not only has the geopolitical zone actively supported the emergence of Nigerian President of other geopolitical extractions, the people are also known to be major agents of development and heavy investors outside their zone and often the next in population after the indigenes in any state of Nigeria. Our well-pronounced presence and investments in every nook and cranny of the country represent the firmest and most practical demonstration of faith in the unity, peace, and continued corporate existence of the country, for where a man’s treasure is, there his heart lies also.” Resolutions, demands “In view of the above and after exhaustive and incisive deliberations, South-East political leaders resolved to: “Consequently implore all the political parties to cede their presidential tickets in the 2023 general election to the South East in the interest of justice, equity and national unity. To make good our demand and reciprocate such good faith, we have decided, as a geopolitical zone with substantial presence in every part of the country to give a block vote and throw our full weight behind any major political party, particularly the APC and PDP, that zones its presidential ticket to the South East in 2023 general election. We resolved to work for such a party irrespective of our different individual political parties. S/East govs blast organizers Meanwhile, South-East Governors, yesterday came hard on the initiators and conveners of the Igbere meeting and dissociated themselves from it. The Governors argued that “if there should be such a meeting which they feel is very necessary, the governors must be seen to be informed and be part and parcel of calling such a meeting.” Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi, stated this during a virtual meeting with other governors of the region. Said Umahi: “Today 5th January, 2021, the South East Governors had their meeting and all the governors were in attendance and the meeting resolved as follows: “There was a bi-partisan meeting called today and the initiator went ahead to use the names of governors without consulting them as part of the conveners of such a meeting. “The Governors of South-East frown at such attitude and would want to disassociate themselves from such a meeting. If there should be such a meeting which they feel is very necessary, the governors must be seen to be informed and be part and parcel of calling such a meeting. They strongly feel that Ohanaeze is in part position to speak on such issues. “So, they want to say that the Governors are not involved and they encouraged all their people to boycott such a meeting.” On the issue of security, Governor Umahi said the governors are so much worried on the killings and kidnappings that are going on by our people in south east; killing our own people  and then killing security agencies and the situation is being heightened by the activities of very desperate politicians. “There are so many desperate politicians in all the political parties that are so desperate for power and they have aligned with some bandits in South-East to destabilise the nation.” Umahi further stated that the governors of the zone would ”do everything possible to ensure that all our people are protected; the security agencies and all the people that are from other regions that are living with us. “We have agreed that the South-East Security Committee will be expanded, we have agreed that this year we are going to have a common patrol. Our vehicles are going to be the same, the uniform will be the same and we will do this for our vigilante and we will continue to work with the people of South-East to give them greater protection.”

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Again, PBIF Holds Annual Medical Outreach

    Again, PBIF Holds Annual Medical Outreach

    …As Indigents Receive Scholarship Up to University Level

    By Onochie Igwesi (Enugu)

    It was a bright day and a fulfilling Christmas for the people of Achi in Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State as the Paul Basil Iloegbouba Foundation (PBIF) held her annual medical outreach on 21st December, 2020 at Anglican Girls Secondary School, Achi, Oji-River, Enugu State. The now traditional medical outreach which has continued to hold for about five years, keeps on getting better with each edition.

    Speaking to our correspondent after the outreach, the President of Paul Basil Iloegbouba Foundation, Engr. Paul Basil Iloegbouba said the foundation was set up to give hope to the poor by making sure their physical health was at an optimal level, not forgetting their spiritual health. Iloegbouba who is also a Minister of God at Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Enugu Central, observed that testimonies abounded of healings that had been recorded in previous editions as a result of the spiritual impact made through the prayers usually offered during the outreach.

    This year, the foundation chose to go a bit further by offering scholarships up to university level to twelve persons in Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools. Iloegbouba said he was encouraged to do all these because of what he saw while growing up. “Let me lay a foundation by saying that my Father was a Carpenter and my Mother was a petty Trader. Trying to put things together to raise us as children wasn’t funny. Growing up, we struggled to get basic things done. I didn’t want people to go through what I experienced. Secondly, while growing up, I saw my father as poor as he was, always willing to give or share the very little things he had with people. His joy stemmed from doing that. My mum was also like him in that way. So, all these impacted a lot in me, thus birthing the Paul Basil Iloegbouba Foundation, and we have done a lot, beyond free medical programs, in different places in Enugu and beyond.” While returning all glory to God for enabling him to do the little he had done, he called on other well-meaning Nigerians to partner with NGOs such as his to uplift more downtrodden persons in the society. He also said he looked forward to holding a bigger outreach in the coming year. Other highlights of the event were distribution of food items to everyone present and donation of grinding machines to the shortlisted names.

    It would be recalled that Engr. Paul Basil Iloegbouba is the CEO of Horizontal City Property Developers Ltd, a reputable real estate firm in Nigeria, that had presented a brand new car to their best marketer of the 2020 business year during their recently concluded Gala/Award Night in Enugu. He is also the Director of Thesaurus Schools.

  • Timi Frank Gives FG 14-day ultimatum to rescind appointment of sole administrator for NDDC

    Press Release
    20/12/20

    Timi Frank Gives FG 14-day ultimatum to rescind appointment of sole administrator for NDDC

    …Says Akpabio’s defense insult to Niger Deltans

    Political Activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Monday, gave the Federal Government a 14- day ultimatum to rescind its illegal appointment of a Sole Administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or face legal consequences.

    Frank in a statement in Abuja also insisted that the defense put up by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio for appointing his cousin, Effiong Akwa, as the new helmsman of the NDDC, was an insult to the people of Niger Delta Region.

    He warned the Federal Government to immediately nominate a substantive board for the NDDC as provided for in its establishment Act or face massive streets protests in the Niger Delta region and lawsuit after the expiration of his ultimatum.

    He described Akpabio’s claim that Sole Administrators had overseen the affairs of the intervention agency in the past as untenable saying “illegality 20 years ago remains illegality today and tomorrow.”

    The Bayelsa-born political activist insisted that that there is no law that says that a statutory board of the NDDC cannot be in place while Akpabio is carrying out his phony forensic audit at the Commission.

    He called for the arrest and prosecution of Akpabio for violating his Oath of Office by working against the interest of the people of Niger Delta and the development of the region.

    He called on the Governors of the Niger Delta states, Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, traditional rulers and all federal lawmakers from the zone to speak up in order to rescue the NDDC and stop attempts to destroy it and by extension the hopes and aspirations of Niger Deltans – living and those yet unborn.

    “I appeal to all leaders in the Niger Delta to break their silence on this criminal hijack of the NDDC by Akpabio and his collaborators in the Presidency as God will not forgive us if we allow the future of our children to be mortgaged by greedy ambition and illegal scheming at the Commission,” Frank said.

    He equally called on the National Assembly, especially the leaders of the opposition caucus – Minority Leader in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndidi Elumelu – to ensure that the 2021 Budget of the NDDC is not approved or handed over to Effiong Akwa for onward delivery to his uncle, Akpabio.

    He said that failure to act in the public’s interest on this issue would make the National Assembly an accomplice in the ongoing anti-Niger Delta arrangement to illegally divert the resources of the NDDC by one family.

    “Minority Leaders in both chambers must ensure that the budget of the NDDC is not passed except they have chosen to aid and abet a ploy to arrest the development of the region.

    “They must use their positions as opposition leaders in the National Assembly to ensure that the people of the Niger Delta derive maximum benefit from the Commission in terms of concrete socio-economic enhancements,” he said.

    He said that the hijack of the NDDC by Akpabio portents doom for the Agency and people of the region who have continued to languish in abject poverty occasioned by environmental degradation following decades of oil exploration in the region.

    He said: “The NDDC is not a family empire where Akpabio can appoint his cousin as Sole Administrator.

    “It is disheartening that the primary objective of setting up the NDDC was abandoned immediately Akpabio took over as Minister and made sure that the agency was removed from the Presidency and placed under his ministerial portfolio.”

    He equally vowed to a legal action against the leadership of the National Assembly should they proceed to approve the 2021 budget of the Commission under the present illegal management being supervised by a Sole Administrator.

    END

    Signed

    Comrade Timi Frank
    Political Activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC (more…)

  • MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ENUGU BIDS FAREWELL TO ITS IMMEDIATE PAST COMMISSIONER

    The management and staff of the state Ministry of Health, Tuesday paid their last respect to the former Commissioner for Health, Late Prof. Anthony Ikemefuna Ugochukwu at the the Ministry’s headquarters in Enugu.

    Speaking during the lying in state, the Hon. Commissioner for Health Dr Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu commiserated with the family of the late Prof. and prayed that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss. He charged the staff to always remember the legacy left behind by the Late Commissioner and live up to expectations. He described the late Professor Ugochukwu as a rare gem that couldn’t be forgotten and prayed to God to grant his soul eternal rest.
    The Permanent Secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi amidst tears described late Prof. Anthony Ugochukwu as a good, humble, caring and a loving father whom he cherished so much. He said that late Prof. Ugochukwu was an erudite professor who dedicated his life to the service of humanity and that he came to reposition the health sector but his dreams and aspirations for a better health sector under his administration was truncated by death.

    The Permanent Secretary promised that the Ministry will honour his legacy by ensuring that his expectations for the sector is achieved under the new administration. He prayed for God to accept his soul to rest in the bossom of the Lord.

    The Anglican Priest from the Cathedral Church of Good Shepherd Independence Layout, Enugu Rev. C. Chiagozie who accompanied the family to the Ministry of Health admonished staff and members of the family to have a reflection of their life now while still alive. He said that death is not a respecter of anybody, rank, academic qualifications or status and that they should bear in mind that it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the Judgment.(HEB 9:27) He urged everybody to repent and live a holy life because nobody knows the appointed time.

    Prof. Ebele Ikepeazu, a Professor in University of Nigeria Nsukka and the younger sister to late Prof. Ugochukwu was highly delighted and she expressed gratitude to the commissioner of health Dr Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu and the permanent Secretary Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi and the members of management and staff for the honour they gave to her late brother by coming out enmasse to pay her brother his last respects.

    It will be recalled that Late Prof. Anthony Ugochukwu was appointed the Commissioner for Health in October 2019 to pilot the affairs of the Ministry. He will be remembered for his peaceful disposition and passion to eliminate quackery in Enugu State.
    His remains will be laid to rest on 30th October, 2020 at his home town Obinagu Isikwe Achi, Oji River LGA of Enugu State.
    Adieu Erudite Professor!
    Adieu Peaceful Man!
    May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Amen.