UNDP, ECN provide solar energy for five FCT communities

The United Nations Development Programme has provided solar-power energy for five rural communities in Bwari Area Council in the FCT. The benefitting communities are Tokulo, Zhiko, Sunape, Youpe and Goipe. The gesture came under the “Expanding Access to Off-Grid Renewable Energy (Solar and Biomass) Based Sustainable Energy for All,” a project initiated by the Energy Commission of Nigeria. Director General, ECN, Prof. Eli Bala, said the UNDP provided the fund for the project, while the commission supervised the implementation. Bala, who spoke to newsmen after a two-day inspection tour of the communities, said the objective was to utilise renewable energy sources to provide basic needs for the communities. He listed those needs as lighting, cooking, heating, water pump and health care delivery. “These rural communities are not grid-connected and even those which are grid-connected, supply is epileptic and not regular to sustain a good standard of living. “Fortunately, these areas are endowed with some energy sources referred to as renewable energy, like the sun, wind and the biomass,” (plant-based materials). “They can utilise these with modern technology to enhance their standard of living. “What we did in these villages in Bwari Area Council is to provide them with clean water supply from underground through solar energy,” Bala said.

Air Force cuts Boko Haram’s supply routes

A wooden canoe containing supplies to Boko Haram intercepted by the Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intercepted supplies to Boko Haram insurgents along Nigeria-Cameroon borders. NAF said last night that it seized over 4,000 drums and several plastic containers filled with petroleum products meant for the insurgents. NAF spokesman Air Commodore Dele Alonge broke the news in a statement in Abuja. The statement reads: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) through its intensified and persistent efforts in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) has intercepted over 4,000 drums and jerry cans of petroleum products and other smuggled items. “The items, suspected to be supplies meant for Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) were confiscated from the smugglers in Pepe, Dashin-Hausa, Belel Bilachi, and Konkul villages, all located on the Nigeria-Cameroon borders on Tuesday, 28 July 2015. “The NAF was able to achieve the recent feat through its air patrol activities, covering both land and water, on the Nigeria-Cameroon borders. “The NAF has continued to identify and destroy BHT camps and resupplies by employing surveillance and combat aircraft. Intelligence gathered revealed that these efforts have greatly strained the supply efforts of the BHT.” There was a massive shake-up yesterday in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Maj-Gen. Tukur Buratai appointed new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for commands and divisions. He also named new Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) to manage the Army Headquarters. Also appointed were new Corps Commanders, Special Task Forces Commanders, a new Commander for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to tackle Boko Haram, new Brigade Commanders and new Defence Advisers in Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad. The Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja, Maj-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, has been named the GOC, 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna; Maj-Gen. L.C. Ilo replaces Maj-Gen S.M. Muazu as the GOC 2 Mechanised Division, Ibadan, Oyo State. Maj-Gen. Muazu has been moved to Infantry Corps, Jaji as Commander. The new GOC, 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State, is Maj.-Gen. H. Umaru and Maj-Gen M.A Koleoso has been moved to take charge as Commander at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Minna, Niger State. Maj-Gen Koleoso takes over from Maj-Gen Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin, who was recently appointed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by President Muhammadu Buhari. He was formerly the Director of Administration at the Defence Headquarters. Maj-Gen. Edet, formerly the Commandant, Nigerian Army Training Center (NATRAC), Kotangora, has been named new GOC, 81 Division, Lagos. Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru has been moved from 13 Brigade, Calabar, Cross River State, where he was the Brigade Commander, to take charge as the Acting GOC, 82 Division, Enugu. He will be taking over from Maj-Gen S. Yusuf, who has been redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Training and Operations.

P’Harcourt, Warri refineries begin crude production – NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has announced the successful re-streaming of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries after nine months of phased rehabilitation conducted by its in-house engineers and technicians. The national oil company made the announcement on Wednesday through a statement. It said the plants had commenced preliminary production of petroleum products after successful test-runs, noting that while the Port Harcourt Refining Company was ramping up capacity to about 60 per cent of the 210,000 barrels per day of crude capacity, production from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company had been projected to hit 80 per cent of its installed capacity 125,000 bpd. According to the NNPC, the Port Harcourt refinery will have a product yield of five million litres of petrol per day, while the Warri refinery will contribute 3.5 million litres of petrol to the local refining capacity. Providing insight into the rehabilitation of the plants, the NNPC noted that it had to adopt the phased rehabilitation approach after the original builders of the refineries, who were initially contacted for the turnaround maintenance of the plants, came up with unfavourable terms. “Though a decision was taken in 2011 to rehabilitate all the refineries using the original refinery builder of each of the refineries, we were impelled to switch strategy after the ORBs declined participation and nominated some partners in their stead, who came up with outrageously unfavourable terms,” it explained. The corporation stated that the nominated partners, as sole bidders, came up with humongous price offers after two years of thorough and exhaustive scope of work definition and negotiations, adding that the proxies were also unwilling to provide post rehabilitation performance guarantees.

“The phased rehabilitation strategy, which entailed phased and simultaneous rehabilitation of all the refineries using in-house and locally available resources in line with the spirit and letter of the Nigerian Content Law, also involved the use of Original Equipment Manufacturer representatives to effect major equipment overhaul and rehabilitation,” it added. The NNPC also noted that the phased rehabilitation programme, which commenced in October 2014 after the required funding stream was established, created a 70 per cent reduction in costs, which helped largely in mitigating the financing challenges of the rehabilitation. It said that with the successful re-streaming of the PHRC and WRPC, attention had now shifted to the 110,000 barrels per day Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, which is billed to come on stream soon. In a related development, the NNPC has said that it has successfully recovered the System 2B Pipeline, which was breached last week in Arepo, Ogun State. The corporation stated that its team of engineers deployed in the scene immediately after the pipeline was vandalised, was able to access the pipeline after the fire had put out the ensuing fire and commenced repair work immediately. It added, “We wish to announce that the vital System 2B Pipeline, which was breached at Arepo last week, has been fixed and brought back on stream. Pumping of products through the system commenced on Monday upon the successful completion of repair works over the weekend. “We also wish to call on all those engaged in the criminal acts of pipeline sabotage and oil theft to desist in order to avoid such horrendous deaths as was witnessed in the recent incident.”

Tompolo hails Buhari over new Amnesty boss

A former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh as the new head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. He said tha the action of the President only portrayed him as a listening leader with a desire to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta. He also hailed the President for the choice of a retired military officer, rather than the politicians who had been scheming to get the job. He urged the new Amnesty coordinator to ensure that critical stakeholders were consulted in the running of the programme and to avoid political jobbers. He said, “It could be recalled that I called a meeting of ex-agitators, leaders and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta last week as a result of the pressure on me to intervene in the seemingly troubled Amnesty Programme due to the non-payment of the stipends and allowances to beneficiaries for months now. “And so, it gives me joy for the President to appoint a high-ranking retired military gentleman to coordinate the programme, rather than have any of the political jobbers, who had advertised themselves in very negative forms in order to be appointed.” Also, frontline ex-militant leaders from the nine states of the Niger Delta have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the appointment of Boroh (retd.) as the substantive Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee. According to the ex-militant leaders, the appointment will undoubtedly resolve the concerns raised by the people of the region over the hitches in the Amnesty programme and payment of outstanding allowances and scholarship fees. They said the choice was apt. The former agitators, under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, led by Pastor Reuben Wilson, said on Wednesday that the choice of Boroh was commendable. Wilson said though the appointment was delayed, he said nevertheless, it would calm frayed nerves among beneficiaries of the programme.

Oil worth $13.7bn stolen under NNPC, says NEITI

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna-Ahmed, on Wednesday said between 2009 and 2012, about 160 million barrels of oil valued at $13.7bn was stolen under the watch of the national oil giant, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. She also said that subsidy payment from 2005 to 2012 indicated that $11.63bn had been paid to the NNPC but that “there is no evidence of the money being remitted to the federation account.” The NEITI boss, who called on the Federal Government to privatize the refineries, stated this during a courtesy call on Governor Nasir el-Rufai, at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna, on Wednesday. El-Rufai is among the four governors appointed by the National Economic Council to scrutinise the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Excess Crude Account managed by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. Part of the terms of reference was to unravel the N3.8trn not remitted to the Federation Account by the national oil giant between 2012 and May 2015, as well as $2.1bn said to have been deducted from the Excess Crude Account. Governors of Akwa-Ibom, Edo and Gombe states were members of the team. Hajiya Ahmed said, “Crude product swap of $866m was lost from 2009 to 2011 and $8243m in 2012. Total amount expended in subsidy payment from 2005 to 2012 as captured $11.63bn have been paid to the NNPC. However, there is no evidence that these amounts were remitted to the Federation Account,” she stated. Meanwhile, Governor El-Rufai disclosed that since he called for the scrap of the NNPC, the corporation has being sponsoring articles in the media to attack him to fight on till NNPC will be killed. He added that the corporation would be made to pay all monies it owed before its final death. El-Rufai said, “NNPC has become a monster that is too powerful. I will continue to fight NNPC till it dies for Nigeria to survive. “It is either Nigerians kill NNPC or NNPC will kill Nigeria. “Since, I called for the death of NNPC, the corporation has sponsored articles attacking me, but I am telling them my skin is thicker than an elephant.”

10 things you didn’t know about the late Ooni of Ife

Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. 10 things you didnt know about the late Ooni of Ife 1. He was born on January 1, 1930 in Ile-Ife to the Ogboru ruling house, grandson of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. 2. He became the fiftieth traditional ruler, Ooni of Ife, on 6 December 1980. 3. He studied at Abeokuta Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife. 4. He worked for three years in his father's business, then for two years with the Nigerian Tribune 5. He studied business management at Northampton College in the United Kingdom. 6. He became a manager in Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate at the age of 30. 7. In 1963, he became Sales Director of the state-owned National Motor in Lagos. 8. After spotting a business opportunity during a 1964 visit to the then Soviet Union, he formed a company to distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria, which became the nucleus of a widespread business empire. 9. Sijuwade was a Christian. 10. In February 2009, Sijuwade helped mediate in a dispute over land ownership between the communities of Ife and Modakeke, resolved in part through the elevation of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba.

Ogun pays N496m WAEC debt

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, says the state is no more owing the West African Examinations Council, having already approved the payment of a sum of N496m being owed the examination body. He said this shortly after the inauguration of new transition committee chairmen for the 20 local government areas in the state, held at the Oba’s Complex, state Secretariat, Abeokuta. It will be recalled that WAEC had on Monday threatened to withhold the results of May/June 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for 19 states which allegedly defaulted in the payment of registration fees for state- sponsored candidates. Amosun, who explained that the federal allocation had dropped in recent times, added that this had put government at all levels under pressure, calling for proactive measures. The governor said enrolment figures in schools in the state had increased over the years but the government could not shy away from its responsibilities. He said, “The state is no more owing the West African Examinations Council. I have already approved the payment of a sum of N496m being owed the examination body on Tuesday.” The governor who said his government had, however, been able to meet his financial obligations, added that it had built more than 2,000 classrooms since inception to cater to the rising level in schools’ enrolment. He explained the state wage bill, including workers’ salaries, pensions, tertiary institutions’ subventions and utilities had risen to N9bn monthly. Amosun warned the newly appointed political appointees not to use their position to settle scores with anyone. The governor advised them to see their appointment as a call to service and not for them to work only for their party alone but for everyone in their local governments. He said, “Do not use your appointment as a tool to settle scores. Avoid chest beating and pettiness. You are not being sworn in to work for your party alone but for everybody. “Strive to relate well with your colleagues and workers in your local governments.”

NAF blocks, seizes Boko Haram fuel supply route

The fighter pilots of the Nigerian Air Force have blocked and seized the fuel supply route of the Boko Haram insurgents along the nation’s border with Cameroon. The Director, Air Force Information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said in a statement on Wednesday that the Air Force personnel intercepted 4,000 drums and jerry cans of petroleum products and other smuggled items from the insurgents. He said the items, believed to be supplies for the insurgents, were seized from smugglers in Pepe, Dashin-Hausa, Belel Bilachi and Konkul villages located along the Nigeria-Cameroon borders on Tuesday. He added that the Air Force was able to cut off the fuel supply routes of the insurgents through sustained air patrol activities along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Alonge stressed that the Air Force had continued to decimate the capacities of the Boko Haram through deployment of surveillance and combat aircraft and effective use of intelligence. “The NAF was able to achieve the recent feat through its air patrol activities, covering both land and water, along the Nigeria-Cameroon borders. “The NAF has continued to identify and destroy BHT (Boko Haram Terrorists) camps and supplies by employing surveillance and combat aircraft. Intelligence gathered revealed that these efforts have greatly strained the supply efforts of the BHT,” he said.

Buhari And Osinbajo Get Registered For IPPIS

President Muhammad Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo did their finger print for the integrated personnel and payroll information system (IPPIS) at the Presidential villa earlier today. Pic of Vice President being captured after The cut...

Arsenal keeper Szczesny joins Roma on loan

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has joined Roma on a season-long loan deal. The Polish goalkeeper has slipped down the pecking order following the arrival of Petr Cech from Chelsea last month and Szczesny will now attempt to make his mark in Serie A. Szczesny told the Roma website: “I’ve come here to win games and trophies with Roma and I believe that the team is strong enough to do so.”

Nigerian Military Rescues 22 Children, 7 Nursing Mothers From Boko Haram (Photos - Politics - Nairaland

As a result of ongoing operations under the aegis of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE to clear Dikwa and its environs from Boko Haram Terrorist, the troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army yesterday rescued 30 persons from the hands of the terrorist in KWAYABE and WUFE wards in DIKWA LGA of Borno state. They include 21 children and a 6 day old infant, 7 women including 3 nursing mothers and two elderly male adults. The troops also discovered a training shed inside the vandalised and looted Palace of the Shehu of Dikwa where weapon handling and engagement of Aircraft were being taught to new Boko Haram terrorists recruits.

US gave Buhari names of oil thieves –Source

The United States of America has handed over the names of Nigerian oil thieves to President Muhammadu Buhari, a member of the President’s entourage during last week’s visit to the US confided in The PUNCH on Tuesday. “I can tell you that the President already has the list of names of the people engaging in the stealing of Nigeria’s oil. The list, when released by the President, will shock Nigerians. But let’s wait and see first,” the source said. The source said Buhari was taken aback when he saw the names on the list and that the list given to the President by the US might compel him to probe the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. A Presidency source also confirmed that Buhari had such a list but that “the President has been keeping the list to himself.” The source, who told our correspondent about the list in the President’s possession, said the US gave Buhari two separate lists – one listing the names of top government officials who have been stealing the country’s oil, using their high offices to perpetrate the stealing; and the other containing the names of illegal oil bunkerers. The President had said last week that some ministers in the cabinet of Jonathan were stealing as much as 250,000 barrels of Nigeria’s crude daily. The Presidency source, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said Buhari had vowed that those whose names appeared on the list would not go scot-free. “The President will probe all of them and make sure they return whatever fortune they had made from their thievery,” the source said. The source said the President was already tinkering with the idea of constituting a panel to investigate those on the list with a view to arriving at how to deal with them based on the findings of the committee. However, it was gathered that, unlike the usual probe panels, the President would likely set up a special security team to handle the probe. The PUNCH learnt that the names on the list of oil thieves are a mixture of highly placed government officials, and retired and serving military officers. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress said on Tuesday that it supported the probe of the Jonathan administration by Buhari in the light of mind-boggling corruption that had been uncovered by the Federal Government. “Some people have insinuated that the Buhari administration should ignore the massive looting of our patrimony and move on. We say no responsible government can afford to do that, because it will amount to endorsing corruption and impunity,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. The APC said billions of dollars had been skimmed off by “pathologically-corrupt public officials” in the oil sector alone, wondering how the government of the day could meet its obligations to the citizens if it refused to recover the huge funds taken away by thieving officials Mohammed’s statement read, ‘‘It is an irony that those who are suggesting that the Buhari administration should turn a blind eye to the incomprehensible looting are the same ones accusing the government of not doing anything. “It is even a cruel irony that the same party that presided over what is fast emerging as the worst governance in the history of our country is the same one that is daily bad-mouthing an administration that is cleaning up its mess. ‘‘Where does one start from? Is it the fact that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit N3.8tn to the Federation Account or the mind-blowing stealing of 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day? “Is it the fact that the NNPC itself does not know how many bank accounts it had or into which ones the payments for Nigerian crude are made? Could anyone have imagined that a government minister would steal the unprecedentedly-huge amount of US $6bn of public funds as being alleged? ‘‘How does any sane person rationalise the fact that $1bn was unilaterally and illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account just because, as the immediate past Minister of Finance has disclosed, the President ordered the withdrawal? What about the billions of naira waivers recklessly approved to dubious importers by the Jonathan administration?” It added, ‘‘Is it not clear now that the stealing and the profligacy – more than anything else, including the fall in oil price – helped to drastically reduce the monthly allocation from the Federation Account from about N800bn to about N400bn , thus pauperising the states and the local governments, and by extension the citizenry? “Against the background of the stunning revelations, what message will any government be sending to its citizens and indeed the global community by looking the other way, when it could still recover some of the looted funds for the benefit of the people? “This is why we are supporting the Buhari administration’s probe decision and we are calling on all Nigerians to support ongoing efforts to get to the root of the matter.” The APC said it was clear that the Jonathan administration had deliberately delayed giving the then incoming Buhari government the handover notes so as to avoid being asked critical questions pertaining to the looting under its watch. Also, the Peoples Democratic Party said it was on the same page with Buhari in the fight against corruption, but that due process must be followed. The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Tuesday, said the clarification became necessary so as to remove any misconception that it was against the decision of the present administration to probe some past officials of government because they were PDP members. Metuh said, “The PDP supports the decision of the Federal Government to fight corruption in our country. “However, we make bold to state that it should not be disguised to victimise innocent citizens. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and no citizen, irrespective of political, religious or ethnic affiliation, should be denied access to due process and the rule of law in the process.” He added, “Furthermore, we make bold to state that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. In that regard, therefore, we advise members of the APC blowing the horn ahead of the cart to keep quiet because many of them have been major beneficiaries of corruption and sleaze associated with themselves and their allies, especially one of them who as a disguised errand boy of a well-known APC leader is a major beneficiary of the largesse of perpetrators of corruption. “Apart from Mr. President, who for now, is not associated with any sleaze or corrupt activity in this democracy, most APC leaders are still those who as governors, ministers and labour leaders have been the worst corrupt set of Nigerians ever to bestride the political landscape of the country. “It is a great miscarriage of perception therefore for the APC leaders who are perpetrators of sleaze and corrupt acts to attempt to deceive Nigerians with imaginary holiness in this anti-corruption war by the President.” Consequently, he called on the President, as the leader of the APC to remove the log in the eyes of his party while “we support his commitment to remove the speck from the eyes of others.”

FG overrules JAMB on new admission policy

The Federal Government has overruled the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on its new admission policy that recently sparked off protests in parts of the country. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Tuesday, after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari of his ministry’s activities and challenges at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. JAMB had, at its 2015 Combined Policy Meeting, adopted a policy whereby candidates of universities with surplus applicants for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations are reassigned to other universities with lower number of applicants than their capacities. Protest started at the University of Lagos when the institution’s authorities announced that only candidates whose names were officially forwarded by JAMB are eligible to participate in this year’s UNILAG Post-UTME. Nwaobiala told reporters that the decision was jointly taken at a stakeholders’ meeting that had parents and others in attendance. He said because of the dust raised by the development, the Federal Government had commenced consultation with the aim of identifying where adjustments could be made. He however said students that made the cut-off marks have been directed to go and write post-UME examinations in their schools of first choice since that was the bone of contention. Nwaobiala said, “This JAMB thing has been there. As the policy making body, when these issues were raised, they raised in a stakeholders meeting. We normally have what we call the policy meeting. Everything about admission are discussed with parents and other stakeholders at the meeting. “These are decisions that we collectively took. However, we have a listening hear. We have taken a lot of the issues raised into consideration and we are consulting to see the adjustments we can make here and there. “The directive has been given. All the students that made the cut-off marks have been told to go and write post-UME examinations in their schools of first choice. After, they can go to their schools of second choice. That has been the bone of contention.” On the threat by the West African Examinations Council to withhold the results of candidates in 19 states, who wrote the May/June 2015 WASSCE following unpaid examination fees by the state governments, Nwaobiala appealed to states to fulfil their promises.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade, dies at 85

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, reportedly passed on, on Tuesday, at 85 years and seven months. He was born on January 1, 1930. Unconfirmed sources said the monarch, who was said to have been flown out of the country since last Friday, died in the United Kingdom. Most top Ife indigenes and Osun State government officials contacted by The PUNCH late on Tuesday kept sealed lips but some traditional rulers in the state confirmed that Sijuwade had died. The spokesperson for the Ooni, Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola, told one of our correspondents that, “I don’t have anything to tell you immediately.” One Osun traditional ruler, who asked not to be quoted, confided in one of our correspondents on the phone last night that the Ife monarch had died. He said, “The Ooni is dead. It is true. He died about two hours ago in the UK. His two oloris (wives) – Olori Moni and Olori Odun – were with him in the UK. “He travelled out for treatment anytime he fell ill but he couldn’t make it this time. It is sad but I believe it is God’s time. There was nothing anyone could do to stop it. “Tokunbo, his eldest child, will probably leave for the UK this evening. There is nothing we can do but we take solace in the fact that he lived well. The proper announcement will be done later,” The traditional ruler’s account was corroborated by another monarch, who explained that the Ooni was indeed flown out of the country five days ago in an air ambulance after he slumped. A call to the line of the monarch was not answered. There had been fears over the health of the first class monarch since 2013 when he was taken out of the country for medical attention for over a month. Oba Sijuwade ascended the throne in December 1980. Born on January 1, 1930, Sijuwade became the fiftieth ruler of the ancient kingdom of Ife, popularly referred to as the cradle and source of the Yoruba, in 1980. Though he took the name Alayeluwa Olubuse II upon his installation, he dropped “Alayeluwa” from his name a few years back, saying that only God is fit to be called “Alayeluwa.” Alayeluwa means omniscience. A former commissioner and indigene of Ife, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “It is true. I was with him on Wednesday. Last Thursday when we held the political summit in Ife, he supported us and sent an emissary to the summit. He slumped on Thursday and was rushed to Ibadan airport from where he was flown to Lagos in an air ambulance en route to England for treatment. He became stable by Saturday. It is sad that he relapsed and passed on.” The flamboyant traditional ruler was crowned king on December 6, 1980 in a colourful ceremony attended by prominent traditional rulers the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo and the Olu of Warri as well as the representatives of the Queen of England. It was gathered that the Ife traditional council and the Osun State traditional council would meet on Wednesday. A competent source disclosed that emissaries from the two councils would visit the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, to officially break the news to the governor. Sijuwade was born to the Ogboru ruling house. The handsome king was a grandson of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. He studied at the Abeokuta Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife. He worked for three years in his father’s business and later did a two-year stint with the Nigerian Tribune, before attending the Northampton College in the United Kingdom to study Business Management. At the young age of 30, he became a manager in Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate. In 1963, he became the Sales Director of the state-owned National Motors in Lagos. After spotting a business opportunity during a 1964 visit to the Soviet Union, he formed a company to distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria. This later became the nucleus of his widespread business empire. He also invested in real estate in his home town of Ile-Ife. By the time Sijuwade was crowned Ooni in 1980 he had become a wealthy man, whose fame and connection was global. When Sijuwade became the Ooni, he inherited an ongoing dispute over supremacy between the obas of Yorubaland. In 1967 the crisis had been resolved when the late Yoruba sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was chosen as the leader of the Yoruba. In 1976, the Governor of Oyo State, General David Jemibewon, had decreed that the Ooni of Ife would be the permanent chairman of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs. Other Obas led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said the position should rotate. The dispute calmed down when Osun State was carved out of Oyo State in August 1991, but still persisted. In January 2009, Sijuwade was quoted as saying that Oba Adeyemi was ruling a dead empire (the Oyo Empire, which collapsed in 1793). Adeyemi responded by citing “absurdities” in Sijuwade’s statements and saying the Ooni “is not in tune with his own history”. It will be recalled that Oba Adeyemi, the Permanent Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, was conspicuously absent from a meeting of Yoruba leaders in April 2010. In February 2009, Sijuwade helped mediate in a dispute over land ownership between the communities of Ife and Modakeke, resolved in part through the elevation of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba. In August 2010 he mediated in the ownership dispute between Oyo and Osun states concerning Ladoke Akintola University, calling a meeting attended by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, governor of Osun State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, governor of Oyo State and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education which resulted in an action plan.

we only stopped Patience Jonathan from being driven to tarmac –FAAN

The convoy carrying the wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, was stopped from taking her to the foot of the aircraft on the tarmac of the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has said. The former First Lady was reportedly stopped from using the VIP lounge of the airport. But the FAAN said it was not so. It was learnt that Dame Jonathan had gone to Port Harcourt on a private visit. Sources at the airport also alleged that the former First Lady was denied access to the lounge by security operatives of FAAN, who reportedly said they were working based on orders from “above.” But reacting to the report, FAAN, in a statement on Tuesday, described it as misleading and mischievous, stressing that the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan was not denied access to “the VIP lounge at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 27, 2015.” However, the authority was quick to state that what its security officials did was to stop the former First Lady’s convoy from gaining access to the tarmac where her aircraft was parked. The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Yakubu Dati, said the security officials explained to Dame Jonathan’s team why her convoy was stopped, adding that the officials were only abiding by international safety standards. FAAN said, “The former First Lady’s convoy was only denied access to the foot of the aircraft during boarding formalities at the airport in line with international aviation best practices, strictly for safety reasons, as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Our security officials explained this fact to details of the former First Lady. “We wish to recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan, in his recent trips from the same airport, had had to walk to the aircraft from the protocol lounge, in recognition of this ICAO regulation.” FAAN went on to explain that family members of former Presidents were officially entitled to use the VIP lounge, adding that Dame Jonathan would not be denied that right. It said, “We wish to state that no such thing happened as Dame Jonathan, like other family members of former Presidents and other designated principal officers of government, are officially entitled to the usage of airport VIP and protocol lounges under the management of FAAN.”

PDP supports Buhari’s war against corruption

Peoples Democratic Party has said it is on the same page with President Muhammadu Buhari on the fight against corruption, but stated that due process must be followed to ensure that it is not used as a guise to victimise innocent citizens and curtail the freedom of Nigerians. The PDP, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Tuesday, said the clarification had become necessary to remove any misconception that it was against the decision of the present administration to probe some past officials of government because they were PDP members. Metuh was responding to an earlier statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in which the ruling party said it was in support of the President probing the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan. In his response, the spokesperson for the opposition party said, “The PDP supports the decision of the Federal Government to fight corruption in our country. “However, we make bold to state that it should not be used as a guise to victimise innocent citizens. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and no citizen, irrespective of political, religious or ethnic affiliation, should be denied access to due process and the rule of law in the process.” He said the anti-corruption era which, he said, was being targeted at the past administration must not be blinded to some members and friends of this present administration. Metuh alleged that only the President could be insulated from corruption for now. He said, “Furthermore we make bold to state that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. In that regard, therefore, we advice members of the APC blowing the horn ahead of the cart to keep quiet because many of them have been major beneficiaries of corruption and sleazes associated with themselves and their allies, especially one of them who, as a disguised errand boy of a well known APC leader, is a major beneficiary of the largesse of perpetrators of corruption. “Apart from Mr. President who, for now, is not associated with any sleaze or corrupt activity in this democracy, most APC leaders are still those who as governors, ministers and labour leaders have been the worst corrupt set of Nigerians ever to bestride the political landscape of the country. “It is a great miscarriage of perception, therefore, for APC leaders who are perpetrators of sleazes and corrupt acts to attempt to deceive Nigerians with imaginary holiness in this anti-corruption war by the President.” Consequently, he called on the President, as the leader of the APC, to remove the log in the eyes of his party while “we support his commitment to remove the speck from the eyes of others.”

Tinubu seeks 100 days of honeymoon for Buhari

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, urged Nigerians who have been accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of being too slow to allow the President at least 100 days of honeymoon. He said change, which was at the centre of the party’s campaign ahead of the presidential election, would not be achieved with a magic wand. Tinubu spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting behind closed-door with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. “May 29 was when this President was sworn in. It is an international norm, there is an honeymoon period, at least a minimum of 100 days’ honeymoon. And you won’t allow honeymoon at all? You said change is not coming. Change is not by magic. It is driven by the people, the spirit and the character and the planning,” he said. The former Lagos State governor said the nation had witnessed many problems in the past because policies were made in a hurry without proper planning. He said it was better for the government to take its time to plan, than to rush into taking actions because of sentiments and emotions. He added, “It is not fair to jump into those conclusions (that change is late in coming). There must be time to plan, to review and even listen to people. “There is a separation between a campaign period, articulating your vision, expressing the promises to Nigerians, there is a time to look holistically at what you inherited, analyse it, distill and then take action. “Even in a 100 metres race, there is a time to say ‘on your mark, set, ready, go.’ “So, you don’t even want a time to be on your mark, set and go? No, you are not being fair.” The president met members of your party in the House of Representatives that ended in deadlock. What is your position in all these? On the leadership crisis in the National Assembly, Tinubu said it was only the conclusion of the media that the peace meeting called by Buhari on Monday ended in a deadlock. He said rather, his position was that there was a political process that needed to develop its own life and be worked upon to stabilise and continue to serve the interest of the populace. Tinubu said by the time the National Assembly started its lawmaking in earnest, the President needed to step in once in a while as he did in order to let the people to understand the import of the expectations of the public and particularly of the international community on various programmes and institutions. He said Buhari’s decision to step in to douse the tension was not a wrong step. The former governor said he decided to visit the President to welcome him from what he described as successful trip to the United States of America and to ensure that the party remained on track.

How to Use Etisalat Chatpack to browse on Android and System

The etisalat chatpack is almost free but it is slow when browsing. The package is meant for chat on facebook, whatsapp, bbm, wechat and messenger. However, you can use simple server or Psiphon Handler to open it up and browse with it either on phone or system. To get it going, recharge or transfer N50. to your etisalat sim. Dial *200*3*3*1*1# to subscribe. You will get the welcome message to etisalat chatpack. And you will also be given 10MB data for 24 hours. You do not need money to renew it again as it auto renews without everyday without stopping. The speed is slow but it works 24hrs after you exhaust the 10 mb. You get messages that you have used up the data, just ignore and continue to use it. Just set the connection settings to: Etisalat Apn: etisalat Proxy ip: 127.0.0.1 proxy port: 8080 To configure Simple server on phone: Launch your SimpleAndroidServer, go to settings: Proxy host put: 185.28.193.95 Proxy port: 8080 or 80 Inj. query/url: http://mobile.facebook.com Inj. host: mobile.facebook.com Inj. line : press enter key four time log level: debug Close settings. Then launch Autoproxy or ProxyDroid depends on the one you use. Go to settings and set proxy to 127.0.0.1 port 8080. Then start simple server, once successfully started, launch autoproxy or proxydroid and connect it. Once everything is running, you are good to go. Best browser for this is UCweb mini as it is faster than others. ………………………………………… To Use the Etisalat Chatpack on Pc with SS APN: etisalat Pri Dns: 8.8.8.8 Sec. Dns: 8.8.4.4 Edit your pc simple server like this: LHOST = ‘127.0.0.1’ IMETHOD = 0 ISPLIT = 0 RHTTP = 0 TIMEOUT = 60 PHOST = 185.28.193.95 RQUERY = ” RPATH = 0 PTYPE = 0 KEEP = ” BQUERY = ” MQUERY = ” RHTTPS = 1 PPORT = 8080 LPORT = 8080 VALHDR0 = ‘mobile.facebook.com’ VALHDR1 = ” VALHDR2 = ” VALHDR3 = ” IQUERY = ‘mobile.facebook.com’ ADMODE = 0 CQUERY = ” CUSHDR2 = ” CUSHDR3 = ” CUSHDR0 = ‘Host’ CUSHDR1 = ” ILINE = 0 FQUERY = ” FQUERY = ” SBUFF = 1024 RPORT = 0 Save and connect. Set your browser and download manager to use proxy 127.0.0.1 port 8080. NB… Download The simple server .ini file HERE. Slow but working unlimited. I get 20 – 35KB/s i.e. 150kbps to 350kbps. ………………………………………………….. How To Use the Etisalat Chatpack with Psiphon Handler The settings is as below: Download Psiphon HandlerUI for android. PSIPHON HANDLERUI settings: Apn: etisalat No need for ip and port Launch Psiphon HandlerUI Tick remove port Proxy type: select real host proxy server: mobile.facebook.com and click save. Now go to options and select region as United States. Tick tunnel whole device. Go to more options and open it, tick “connect through http” also Tick “use the following setting” Host address: 185.28.193.95 Port: 8080 That’s all. Close it. Then connect. Will attach Psiphon HandlerUI later. Always Stayonline for more updates, and make sure you inform your friends!

Fayose approves N119m car loan for Ekiti workers

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has approved the disbursement of N119m as car loans to 623 workers in the state public service. The state Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, disclosed this in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Ministries, Departments and Agencies got N82,120,000 while Parastatals and Agencies got N36.80 million. Chief Ojo, according to a statement by the state Ministry of Information and made available to journalists on Monday, the loans were approved depending on the salary grade level of the benefitting officers. The statement quoted the commissioner as stressing “the commitment of the Fayose’s administration to the welfare of workers in the state civil service,” adding that he explained that “the loan is to be disbursed in one single tranche to the benefitting officers.” He promised that another batch of beneficiaries of the workers car loans will be announced before the end of this year.

Aregbesola: APC, PDP disagree ahead of judge’s appearance

The All Progressives Congress has accused the Peoples Democratic Party of planning a ‘murderous demonstration’ to usher in Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, who is scheduled to appear before the House of Assembly panel probing her allegations of corruption against Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the APC in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, who said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Monday warned members of the party who had no business at the House of Assembly against going there on Tuesday. The statement read, ” The All Progressives Congress in the state of Osun has directed that none of its supporters‎ who has no business at the state House of Assembly should go there tomorrow for any reason whatsoever, because the PDP is reportedly planning a murderous demonstration to usher in Justice Olamide Oloyede into the House. “We have it on good information that the PDP is planning to use the opportunity to cause mayhem as they had always planned. “The APC is calling on the security agencies, to again be on the alert so that evil minded people will not breach the peace. “The APC has also called on all its cadres and mobilisers to ensure that none of their supporters ventures around the premises of the state assembly.” But the PDP, while reacting to the allegation of violence by the APC said the ruling party was only afraid of their shadow. The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Bola Ajao, while reacting in a telephone interview with our correspondent said the ruling party was raising a spurious allegation against his party because the “guilty is always afraid.” He said, ” We are not planning any protest let alone murderous one. These people are fond of fabricating lies and everyone knows that is their stock in trade. “The guilty will always be afraid. The governor admitted publicly that the state is in quagmire and what they should be busy doing now is to begin to look for a way out of these problems. They should pay the workers and address other issues and leave politics now. This is not the time to play politics. “Nobody in the PDP is planning any protest but they are afraid because of the enormity of the problem they have caused the state.” It will be recalled that the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Goke Butika, said no form of demonstration would be allowed within the premises of the House on Tuesday.