Edo Decides: Buhari, Osibanjo, APC governors storm Edo for APC rally

    
President Mohammadu Buhari, his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, All Progressives Congress Governors and the National leadership of the party will on Tuesday relocate to Edo state capital, Benin city for the grand rally for the Governorship Election of September 10.

Speaking with journalists in Benin on Monday, the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Barrister Anselm Ojezua said anytime the APC is holding rally, there is always mass mobilization, saying “once the people know that the president is coming our people will be so excited to receive him,  celebrate and crown our efforts of moving round the entire state for the past few weeks.

Ojezua said the National campaign Council for the APC Governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos state and his team are already in Benin to ensure smooth rally.

He said all logistics to ensure free movement of the visitors and party supporters across the state are also be perfected.

The APC Chairman therefore called on all Edo people in respective of party affiliation to come out emass to welcome Mr. President to the state.

Meanwhile, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in central city of Benin City is wearing a new look ahead of the President Mohammadu Buhari visit to Edo state.

When our reporter visited the stadium, Soldiers, Department of State Security Services, Anti-Riot Policemen and other Security agencies has taken over the stadium and all the major roads leading in and out of Stadium Area.

The Airport, Golf course road, and the Edaiken N’uselu palace where the President and his entourage visit had also been taken over by Soldiers and other Security agencies.

Economic Recession: Nigerians go back to the farm

      
Too broke to pay for costly imports of rice and palm oil, Nigeria is looking to agriculture to help lift itself out of a recession.

The once-flourishing sector was abandoned during the oil boom but has the potential to grow as Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari pushes to diversify Nigeria's economy.

In a grim recent report, the National Bureau of Statistics said the country's economy contracted in the second quarter by 2.1 percent, with the oil sector suffering a double-digit decline.

Crude-addicted Nigeria has been hit hard by the global fall in oil prices, which has reduced government revenues and driven inflation to an 11-year-high of 17.1 percent in July.

Nigeria usually gets 70 percent of its revenue from oil sales but the crash has left the government cash-strapped and struggling to pay civil servant wages.

The dire situation has spurred the Nigerian government to look for ways to encourage sustainable growth.

Agriculture seems a good place to start. With 84 million hectares of arable land spanning the jungles of the south to the Sahara desert in the north, Nigeria can produce a range of food and cash crops for local needs and exports.

Today Nigeria's food imports are estimated at over 20 billion dollars annually, according to the agriculture ministry.

A 50kg bag of rice, likely imported from Thailand, now sells for 20,000 naira ($63) compared to 8,000 naira at the beginning of the year, prompting the authorities to encourage people to farm.

In the southeastern state of Imo, Governor Rochas Okorocha has asked civil servants to work just two days and devote the rest of the week to farming cassava, corn and yams.

In central Benue and Sokoto states in the north, workers have been directed to close shop early so they can tend to their crops.

- Be 'patriotic' -

Moving Nigeria away from smallholder farming towards commercial agriculture is a priority.

"If we get it well in agriculture, we will get it well in the economy," Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said last month while launching a policy document on the development of the sector.

Osinbajo urged Nigerians to be patriotic and buy 'Made in Nigeria' products.

Decades ago, that wouldn't have been difficult.

Nigeria used to be world's number one exporter of palm oil, ahead of Malaysia and Indonesia, central bank data shows.

It was also a leading exporter of cocoa, accounting for 18 percent of global production in the 1960's, according to the Cocoa Association of Nigeria.

But now, the country imports palm oil from Malaysia and only accounts for a paltry eight percent of global cocoa exports.

"We must return to agriculture and especially cocoa," Cocoa Association of Nigerian president Sayina Riman said, adding that cocoa sales generate much-needed dollars.

- Farms to factories -

Farmer Lukman Busari told AFP access to credit is strangling development of the sector.

"Farmers are finding it difficult to obtain loans at reasonable rates," he said, explaining that the 14 per cent lending rate decimates his profits from his cassava farm in southwest Ogun state.

Farmer Oluranti Adeboye, who entered the business in 2008 after quitting his government job, says unreliable power supply and poor roads drain his energy and limit his company's growth.

"I have 5,000 hectares of land on which I grow cocoa, cassava, plantain, kolanut and run fish ponds," he said, showing AFP the large expanse of land at Shofolu village, also in Ogun state.

Days of torrential rains made the road leading to the farm muddy and slippery, and farm assistants donned boots and raincoats as they nurtured fresh cocoa seedlings ahead of the next planting season.

"We want government to provide infrastructure like good roads, electricity, water and finance to support us," Adeboye said.

"Government has to provide the enabling environment for our business to thrive."

Nigerians hope to see the country not only growing the produce but processing it too.

"If we really want to diversify from oil and create proper value, agriculture must give birth to industry," said popular This Day newspaper columnist Simon Kolawole.

Some are already putting those words into practise.

As well as building a tomato paste factory, Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote is investing $1 billion in commercial rice farming with the first harvest expected to hit local markets in December.

That means Nigerians may finally enjoy for the first time in years a steaming plate of jollof rice -- a popular tomato-infused dish -- made from ingredients grown in their own backyard.

Pastor arrested for operating underage prostitution cartel inside church

        
A 54-year-old woman, Idowu Olupinla, has been arrested by the police in Ogun State for allegedly operating a prostitution cartel with teenagers.

The woman, who is also a pastor and founder of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ijoko-Ota, Ogun State, was paraded alongside some of her victims at Eleweran Police Headquarters, Abeokuta.

She was arrested at her church premises on number 52,Okesina Street.

The police said she specialised in arranging male sex customers for the teenage girls, aged 14 to 16.

The police said three of the girls (names omitted) were rescued. The girls lived in the church premises with the woman.

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Ahmed Ilyasu, at a press briefing on Sunday said the victims had been taken to a hospital.
He said the suspect would soon be charged to court for human trafficking and child abuse.

One of the victims, who spoke to newsmen said many of the girls were from broken homes and sought a place to stay before they were lured into prostitution by the woman.

The 16-year-old said she lived with Mrs. Olupinla for about a year along with about 9 other girls.

“We are about 10 with Mama, and she always arrange men for us to have sex,” she said. “She created apartment within the church premises, where the men sleep with us. We charge N500 per sex in which Mama will collect N300 and give us N200.”

She said each girl makes an average of about N1,500 per day inclusive of Mrs. Olupinla’s commission.

The teenager said many of the girls had multiple abortions so as to continue living in the church and that she has had 5 abortions.
The suspect, however denied the allegations. She said she only provided a place to live for the homeless girls.

Sallah forces Reps to postpone resumption

     
The House of Representatives has postponed by one week its anticipated resumption.

This also implies that the expected action of the 360-member legislature on the budget padding allegations levelled against the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers, will be delayed by at least one week.

The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Lawmakers proceeded on their annual recess on July 20 and were scheduled to reconvene on September 13.

Investigations showed on Sunday that the resumption date had been postponed by one week due to the forthcoming Eid-el Kabir festivities.

A senior National Assembly official stated on Sunday, “The Sallah proper will be on Monday, September 12, just one day to the original resumption date.

“Taken that the Federal Government will naturally declare Monday and Tuesday (September 13) as public holidays to mark the Sallah, it is no longer feasible for the House to reconvene on September 13.

“We are now looking at a date from Tuesday, September 20.”

Meanwhile, a former Deputy Minority Whip of the House, Mr. Garba Dhatti, confirmed to newsmen on Sunday that the resumption would be delayed by “three weeks.”

Dhatti, who is still a serving member, stated, “The end of recess will now be up to three weeks (September 20).

“It has to be after Sallah, which you know is Monday (September 12).”

The development came as the Chief Whip of the 7th House (2011-2015), Mr. Ishaka Bawa, told newsmen that there was “nothing abnormal” for Dogara and other principal officers to receive higher allocations for intervention or constituency projects in the 2016 budget.

Bawa said in every budget year, principal officers were allocated higher votes for projects in line with a “parliamentary tradition in practice over the years.”

Citing the instance of the 7th Assembly, where he was the fourth highest-ranked principal officer, Bawa disclosed that each of the 10 principal officers received higher project allocations according to their ranks.

He also confirmed that all the principal officers had higher project votes than those he called “floor members.”

Bawa added, “As a principal officer in the 7th Assembly, the funds allocated for my projects were higher than that of Dogara, who was a ‘floor member’ at the time.

“Dogara was a floor member. Even as the Chairman, Committee on House Services, the funds for his projects were nothing compared to that of the least-ranked principal officer.

“Principal officers got their allocations pro-rata. They then identified the projects which were domiciled in the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies for execution.

“Every member knows that this has been the practice and the 8th Assembly principal officers have done nothing new.”

According to Bawa, the allocations of Dogara and the other three principal officers in the 2016 budget are not padding “so long as they were contained in the budget that was considered, passed by the National Assembly and signed into the law by Mr. President.”

Bawa, a lawyer, argued that the padding allegations could “only be sustained if there is proof that the money (N40bn) was added to the budget after the National Assembly passed it and on its way to the President’s office.”

A former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, had alleged that the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget, besides sundry projects in sums ranging from N20bn to N30bn.

He claimed that his refusal to oblige the four principal officers and his opposition to several alleged financial infractions were responsible for his sacking by Dogara on July 20.

The leadership of the House denied the alleged padding, saying all insertions into the budget followed the “due process of legislation and budgeting.”

However, it said Jibrin’s allegations would be investigated internally by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges after the House would have reconvened on the initially fixed September 13.

The police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption are already investigating the allegations.

Jibrin had petitioned the agencies and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission as well as the Department of State Services.

Also on Sunday, Jibrin suggested how the budgeting process and other finances of the House could be reformed to plug alleged loopholes for “fraud.”

Jibrin said he made the submissions to the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption during his visit to the body in Abuja on Wednesday last week.

He said he told the committee, which is chaired by Prof. Itse Sagay, that the legislature was abusing its power of appropriation and should be stopped.

Jibrin suggested that copies of the budget should always be circulated to all members while the highlights and the details must be considered together by lawmakers.

He added, “The most important reform here is to ensure that budget estimates and details are returned to the floor of the House at the same time for passage.

“This will check the insertions by some standing committee chairmen and principal officers in the process of budget passage.

On the internal finances of the House, Jibrin said such funds should be made public so that Nigerians could follow the spending pattern of lawmakers.

Nigeria deeply divided, says UN report

     
A REPORT just released by the United Nations, UN, on Nigeria’s Common Country Analysis, CCA, has revealed a deeply divided society on the basis of the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that had tended to define the country’s political existence.

The report also painted a gloomy picture, with most of the development and social indices in the country registering at levels unacceptable. The report, which was read during a consultative meeting on the formulation of the UN Development Assistance Framework IV (UNDAF IV) for the South East geo-political zone in Awka observed that for decades, different segments of Nigeria’s population had, at different times, expressed feelings of marginalization, of being short –changed, dominated, oppressed, threatened, or even targeted for elimination.

The report read in part: “Nigeria, with a population of over 75 million, is the most populous nation in Africa and the seventh most populous in the world. Her population will be approximately 200 million by 2019 and over 400 million by 2050, becoming one of the top five populous countries in the world. “Nigeria is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in the world, with over 80 million or 64% of her population living below poverty line. The situation has not changed over the decades, but is increasing. Poverty and hunger have remained high in rural areas, remote communities and among female –headed households and these cut across the six geo-political zones, with prevalence ranging from approximately 46.9 percent in the South West to 74.3 percent in North West and North East. “In Nigeria, 37% of children under five years old were stunted, 18 percent wasted, 29% underweight and overall, only 10% of children aged 6-23 months are fed appropriately based on recommended infant and young children feeding practices.

“Youth unemployment which is 42% in 2016 is very high, creating poverty, helplessness, despair and easy target for crime and terrorism. Over 10 million children of school age are out of schools with no knowledge and skills. “Nigeria’s economy is currently in a recession and it is estimated that government revenues have fallen by as much as 33 percent, which has further resulted in the contraction of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 0.36 percent in the first three months of 2016.

“The vulnerable macroeconomic environment in Nigeria is affecting investors’ confidence in the domestic economy.” When contacted last night to react to the report, federal government officials said they where not aware of it and couldn’t, therefore, react. “Despite the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to a number of protocols on sustainable and renewable environment, the country had, over the decades, failed to protect the environment, ecosystem and natural resources. Over-exploitation of natural resources and pollution of the environment, desertification are exposing the population to vulnerability and risks caused by climate change, among others. “Nigeria is well-endowed with forest resources, accounting for 2.5% of GDP. But Nigeria has one of the highest rates of forest loss in the world. Between 1990 and 2000, Nigeria lost an average of 409,700 hectares of forest per year on average deforestation rate of 3.5% per annum. “Increase in population, human activities like farming, construction and cutting of trees, use of wood and effect of climate change lead to environmental destruction across Nigeria.”

This in turn leads to unpredictable weather, drought and floods. The implication of destruction of the environment includes reduced agricultural productivity, destruction of property and loss of lives. “Nigeria faces humanitarian and emergency crises of considerable proportions fueled by a combination of factors including climate change, inter-communal conflicts and violence, insurgency, recurring floods, heavy handed tactics of security forces in combating crime and insurgency. The overall consequence is the situation of systematic and chronic internal displacement that has given rise to different humanitarian crises that include the most egregious and dehumanizing human rights abuses. “Over 80 million Nigerians live in poverty and are affected in one way or the other by the current humanitarian crisis.

Available reports indicate that there are over 3.3 million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, which is Africa’s largest, ranking behind Syria and Columbia on a global scale. “The major challenges Nigeria is currently facing that constrain her economic growth and social development are lack of good governance, general increased insecurity across geo-political zones in North East, Niger Delta and Lake Chad region in particular. The situation is exacerbated by the existence of systematic accountability challenges, limited capacities of independent institutions/ commissions and limited accountability at the federal, states and local government levels. “Nigeria is a deeply divided society considering the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that define her political existence.

Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has struggled to build and sustain national integration. For decades, different segments of Nigeria’s population had, at different times, expressed feelings of marginalization, of being short-changed, dominated, oppressed, threatened, or even targeted for elimination.” The report recommended that transforming and diversifying Nigeria’s development paths needed a radical and new approach, especially by investing in people and in a strong more dynamic and inclusive productive informal sector.

It also called for a design and support of joint programmes to address good governance, peace and security.

“I’M BLESSED WITH BIG BΣΣBS, I CAN’T DATE A POOR MAN” – NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS SAYS

   
Pound for pound, few women in Nollywood, or even the entire entertainment industry can hold their own when it comes to going head to head in boobs contest with Bolaji Ogunmola.

The up and coming hot actress is so endowed in the bosom, that the likes of Cossy wouldn’t want to be in the same room with her for fear of competition. But for the Next Movie Star class of 2013, having big bσσbs can’t compare to having bigger butt.

In a recent chat with Potpourri, the sexy, charismatic and unassuming ebony beauty bares her mind on some sensitive issues relating to sex, relationships and her career as an actress.

“I am left handed, I like light-skinned guys and very emotional,” she says, describing herself in simple terms.

“I can’t date a poor man and would have preferred having a bigger butt,” she added but declined to comment further on why she prefers bigger butt to her humongous, captivating boobs.

Bolaji has only been on her acting journey for four years but the horizon looks good for her.

“I have been acting for like four years now but people say you start counting from when you started making impact. So on that note, I became relevant from two years ago. My first film was when I was in the university, that is the University of Ilorin. After which I got enrolled at Royal Art Academy. I was part of some of their projects like Okon goes to school, Unbedded Niece and some other films,” she says, beaming with smiles.

“I WANT A MAN WHO HAS HIS OWN MONEY” – LINDA IKEJI

   
Celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji is a success story no doubt. For one who started the blogging business a decade ago, it’s worth celebrating her successes.

This was done by Success Story NG and in a 15-minute documentary, Linda talks about her job, how she started from nothing, embraced her passion and preserved till she got to the peak.

A good success story for any willing learner, especially on her passion which finds expression in the rate at which stories are posted on her blog.

When the interviewer asks about her single status.

she says, “I do the blogging all by myself, If I had a boyfriend the blog will suffer.”
Boyfriend? She goes on to explain, “I don’t talk about my personal life anymore. I was doing that in 2008/2009. But now, I am getting a lot of attention from men now for whatever reason.”

On being single she says, “Unfortunately, I am single, I don’t know what it is. Definitely, I am looking, I just haven’t seen anyone I want to settle with. I hope it happens soon.”

What she wants in a man?

“A man who supports what I do. The most important thing is a man who supports what I do. If he doesn’t support it, there is no Linda Ikeji and the person. That cannot happen. A man who respects women, who is kind-hearted, has his own money, has a job,” she says

OGUN STATE PERMANENT SECRETARY DIES 24 HOURS AFTER SWEARING IN

   
A permanent secretary in the Ogun State civil service has died barely 48 hours after being sworn into office.

Mrs. Olubunmi Odumusi died in her sleep on Friday night, her family said. She was 57.

Relatives said she died after a prolonged battle with cancer, after being at treated local and foreign hospitals at a huge financial cost.

Mrs. Odumusi, a journalist, joined the civil service and rose the position of director in the state Ministry of Information and Strategy.

She was in the United States of America for medical treatment when she received the news of her‎ promotion as Permanent Secretary. She flew back to attend the inauguration and attended the event on wheelchair on Thursday.

As news of her passing spread Saturday, sympathisers thronged the family home at Sam Ewang Estate in Abeokuta.

Her heartbroken husband wept, clasping the body of his departed wife. The body was later taken to the Neuro Psychiatric Hospital.

A family source said Mrs. Odumusi went to bed on Friday, but failed to wake up in the morning.

Reacting to the death, former Governor Gbenga Daniel praised Mrs. Odumusi as a “gem” and said she was very hardworking in his administration.

”I join others in commiserating with the families of Mrs Olubunmi Odumusi. I have a vivid recollection of her as one of the very hardworking Directors who bought into the vision of our administration quite early,” Mr. Daniel said.

“She was very active in the Regional Master Plan of the state which we did and was one of the topmost advocate of the Master Plan. Ogun State service has indeed lost a gem and my prayer is that God in his mercies will grant the family the grace to bear this painful loss at a time when they should be celebrating her promotion. Adieu,” the former governor wrote.

A former Information Commissioner, Doyin Ogunbiyi, who worked closely with the deceased, lamented the loss and expressed shock over the incident.

“She replied my congratulatory message oo yesterday …so sad‎. She was one of my trusted and hardworking staff as Commissioner in the Ministry of Information Youth Sports and Culture then, also Mrs Yetunde Kujore and Barr Demola Badejo..These trio were most efficient and reliable…,” she said.

IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS PHOTO?: NIGERIAN MAN PASSIONATELY KISSING HIS DAUGHTER ON THE LIPS

    
A man who saw it pleasing to kiss his daughter with all seriousness (even closing his eyes in the process as a sign of ecstasy) was recently a topic of discussion.

Some online users are saying this act is very bad and could lead to other things while others are arguing that it’s the intention of the man that matters.

Anyway, the main question now is, is it possible for a man to kiss his daughter almost the same way he kisses his wife without feeling anything?

Several commenters believe the man in question could graduate into having a romantic feeling for his daughter which is the foundation for several cases of sexual abuse across the world.

AFTER 4 CHILDREN, MEN ARE STILL RUNNING AFTER ME, IT MAKES ME FEEL YOUNG AND HAPPY– NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS

     
Nollywood actress, Bose Alao Omotoyosi has revealed that men are still flocking around her even after she’s given birth to
four children.

The actress revealed this in a recent interview where she opened up on her beginning and early days in the industry.

Read excerpts from the interview below:

How did your journey into entertainment begin?

I started with NTA’s Kiddies Vision 101 show in 1995. From there I began to feature on Speak Out. When I finished my WAEC exams, I went to the National Arts Theatre, it was there I met someone who introduced me to Bimbo Oshin. I played the role of a Waka pass in her movie, Eji Owuro

What was the experience like for you when you started out?

It was fantastic. I didn’t know I wasn’t going to stay too long at home after my secondary school education. My admission came early so I had to go to school. I shuttled between school, hostel and locations. I got a role in Itakun, that was the movie that brought me into limelight. When it comes to acting and developing my talent, I don’t watch people, I imitate myself to get better.

In an interview, you said your husband paid someone millions of naira to get your phone number. How true is that?

That was a misconception. I didn’t say that. My husband only told me he paid someone before getting my number. I honestly don’t know the amount. He was looking for a way to get across to me. He got my number through someone close to Ronke Oshodi Oke when Ronke wouldn’t give it to him. This was after he saw me in the movie Itakun. He said when he saw me on the screen, he told his siblings ‘This is my wife’ but his sister, according to him, didn’t like his idea of wanting to marry an actress. From there on he started finding ways to reach me. He later met a guy that was close to Ronke Oshodi Oke who gave him my number.

When did you discover that he is a footballer?

I got to know he is a footballer when Ronke Oshodi Oke called me that a certain footballer wanted my phone number. I told her not to give it to him. I was told he is not a Nigerian that he is from Benin Republic. I later found out that he is a Nigerian but plays for Benin Republic. Eventually, I told her to tell him to call me. He called me and we scheduled an appointment.

How do you cope with not having him around as often as you would have wished because of the nature of his career?

Before the kids came, I wasn’t based in Nigeria .Wherever he resided; I was always there with him. We travelled together. Before we got married he was living in Sweden and I had to go to Sweden with him. I came back to Nigeria only two weeks to my wedding. We were not around in the country. Our families were planning the wedding on our behalf. Eleven days after the wedding, I gave birth. Five months after the wedding, we travelled again.

How does he cope with seeing you act romantic scenes?

My husband gets jealous just like every man .I don’t sleep in hotels except it’s outside Lagos. Whenever I am on location in Lagos, I still have to go back home. I have to go home especially when he is around.

Do you still get advances from men?

I still do. It makes me feel young and happy. They are all always on my case but when I tell them I am married, they relent.

What has marriage taught you?

I used to be a very stubborn person. I didn’t like saying sorry whenever I did anything wrong. My husband gets angry easily, but when you are remorseful he calms down and tells you he is sorry too. It has really worked for me and I have used that a lot in my marriage. It’s not easy to apologise, especially when you are not the one at fault. I don’t just say sorry I go inside and kneel down to say sorry.

Has he ever had issues with anything written about you?

He doesn’t even read them.

I read somewhere that your husband buys you provocative clothes. How true is this?

Yes he does that.

Do you make him buy them?

My husband is not a cleric. Whenever he goes to shop for himself and he sees a cloth, he buys it for me.

He prefers to see me wear those clothes than to admire them on someone else. He commends me whenever I wear them. Most times, he shops for me, except in cases where I see a dress that I love.

What is the most expensive thing he has ever bought for you?

I think it’s my wedding ring.