Hon Lirwan Aminu Gadagau, A member of Kaduna state House of Assembly has been reportedly shot and killed by Bandits,
According to report, the lawmaker who is from Giwa Local Government Area of the state was killed on his way to Kaduna.
He was among the motorists attacked by Bandits along Zaria-Kaduna Express way yesterday, December 14.
His death was confirmed in a social media post by former Kaduna state senator, Shehu Sani.
(IgbereTv)
1. Her Heroes Are Ordinary Women:
In an interview with Vogue Magazine When she was asked if she sees herself as a feminist heroine, she said “The real heroes are the nameless women in the market, who are holding their families together. They are traders and their husbands are out drinking somewhere… It’s those women I admire. I am full of admiration for them.
2. She Comes From A Long Line Of Strong Women:
Adichie’s mother was the University of Nigeria’s first female registrar, serving as the head of the administrative section of the university. Her sister operates a medical practice in Coventry, Connecticut.
3. Celebrities Are In Love With Her:
So many celebrities love her work including Beyonce whose song, “Flawless,” included an excerpt from a talk that Adichie gave at TEDxEuston in December 2012. The talk, entitled “We Should All be Feminists,” discussed the way women are raised and what it means to be a feminist. “We teach girls to shrink themselves to make themselves smaller,” Adichie said. “We say to girls: ‘You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you will threaten the man…’” Adichie defined a feminist as a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the S*Xes. Also, Hollywood superstar, Will Smith, is a fan of her work.
4. She Is A Fashion Icon
Adichie’s mother was always very concerned about her daughter’s appearance, and instilled the same value in her children. When Adichie first burst onto the writing scene in the U.S., she tried to dress more subdued in an attempt to be taken seriously, but soon realized that her personal style had the right to shine through.
5. She Dropped Out Of Medical School To Pursue Writing:
Following her father’s wishes, Adichie enrolled in medical school in Nigeria, but dropped out at age 19 to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia on a scholarship. She ended up graduating from Eastern Connecticut State University with a degree in communication and political science.
6. She Was Inspired By Chinua Achebe:
After reading Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart,” Adichie was inspired by seeing her own life represented in the pages. She once said, “I realized that people who looked like me could live in books.” Using that inspiration, Adichie has been writing about the Nigerian experience throughout her career.
7. She Grew Up In A House Once Owned By Achebe
She is the fifth of six children and grew up in a house that was once used by Nigeria’s and one of Africa’s finest writers, Chinua Achebe, whose book Things fall apart she read at the age of 10.
8. Giving Back
She’s been organising Creative Writing Workshop annually since 2008 to encourage and help Nigerian youth.
9. “Half Of A Yellow Sun,”
Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun (2007), which was first published as a short story, has been adapted into a movie of the same name. The film adaptation, directed by Biyi Bandele, features Hollywood acts like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose and Nollywood’s Genevieve Nnaji. The book is set before and during the Biafran war, and its title reflects the flag of the short-lived independent nation.
10. She Doesn’t Like To Be Referred To As MRS
Though she once described marriage as a ‘dangerous’ institution for women; she is happily married to Dr. Ivara Esege, a doctor based in Maryland, United States and she doesn’t like to be called MRS. In an interview with Naij, she said: “Addressing me as Mrs. Chimamanda (Esega), i dont like this at all. So my name is Chimamanda Adichie, full stop.
(Facebook)
The United Kingdom, UK, has taken all 11 countries off England’s travel red list. It will be made official tomorrow, Wednesday, the health secretary, Sajid Javid, has announced.
The decision means England will no longer require hotel quarantine for travellers from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
However, testing measures — a pre-arrival negative test and then another PCR test after arrival — remain in place for all travellers.
The health secretary has set out in Parliament the rationale for ending the travel red list, saying that as the new variant is spreading in the UK, travel restrictions are “now less effective in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad”.
Travel rules are set by the four nations of the UK independently, but the other nations’ governments often follow proposals from Westminster.
Deputy PM Dominic Raab earlier said people in England will be able to spend Christmas in a way they could not last year because of Plan B restrictions
MPs are currently debating the new measures in the Commons, with a big Tory rebellion expected over Covid passes for some venues.
…in South Africa; Nigeria’s threat over ban
A top South African doctor says the country is mainly seeing “mild disease” and intensive care units are not overwhelmed.
Labour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, told the Commons sincere beliefs are held on all sides, but he hopes the debate on Plan B measures can be worthy of Parliament.
He criticised the comparison by one Tory MP of Covid passes to Nazi Germany’s policies, saying: “We are not living in the 1930s and the secretary of state and his team are not Nazis.”
Streeting says the health secretary has a responsibility to protect our NHS and calls the measures “a necessary response to the Omicron threat”.
But he says that confronting the challenges of this winter has been made much harder “because we went into the pandemic with record waiting lists, 100,000 unfilled vacancies in the NHS and shortages of care staff.
Health Minister seeks advice ‘hotel quarantine’
Sajid Javid has told MPs he is seeking “urgent advice” about people currently in quarantine hotels being permitted to leave early.
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw asks the health secretary if the government will now release people in isolation in quarantine hotels, given that all 11 African countries are to be removed from the red list.
Javid says: “I am told that the practice in the past has been requiring them to complete their quarantine period. However, I do understand the importance of that.
“I have asked for urgent advice about what this means and I hope to act very quickly on just that.”
(Journalist101)
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd), on Tuesday listed groups/organizations which he said are enabling terrorism in Nigeria and Africa.
Moguno who made the revelation while speaking at the 14th Workshop of the League of Ulamas, Preachers and Imams of Sahel countries in Abuja said the groups include: Jama’at Nasr al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), Islamic and Muslim Support Group as well as Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS).
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Owerri Zone, has threatened a total showdown with the Federal Government over the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement.
The union said during a press conference at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Monday that it would embark on an indefinite strike as “the magnanimity of ASUU that resulted in various MOUs and MOAs arising from the 2009 agreement has been spurned by the Federal Government.”
Leaders of the union from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State University, Owerri, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, were in attendance.
Addressing journalists, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Mr Uzo Onyebinama, explained that some lecturers are being owed as much as 10 months’ salary.
“As we speak now, the Federal Government is in arrears of major components of the agreement, and that includes funding for the revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
“The consequences of the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 agreement is that the union has resolved to go on an indefinite strike any moment and once it begins, it will not stop until all agreements are fulfilled.”
Also, ASUU Benin Zone, has said the impending strike by the nation’s university lecturers is a last resort to draw government attention to their plights and not to derail academic activities.
The zonal Coordinator of the Benin Zone ASUU, Prof. Fred Esumeh, stated this in Benin, Edo State.
Esumeh said, “Strike is less frequent in the western world because their governments act. But here in Nigeria, you have to go on strike frequently before government can act.”
The zonal coordinator, who described members’ remuneration as slave wage, demanded a new condition of service.
He said, “The Nigerian universities are no longer attractive to foreign lecturers, including those from neighbouring countries.
“This is due to the prevailing slave wage where the highest ranked professor earns less than a thousand dollars monthly.”
(punch)
Miss Universe Nigeria, Maristella Okpala, has made Nigeria proud after she won the best National Costume at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant.
The 28-year-old beauty queen, who donned an outfit inspired by the ‘Mmanwa’ masquerade from Southeastern Nigeria, was named winner of the National Costume of the recently concluded event which took place in Eilat, Israel, on Sunday, December 12.
Taking to her Instagram page, Maristella disclosed that she choose the female masquerade costume because she sees a self reflection of her cause because ‘Mwanwa’ also protects children and women against any form of abuse.
The costume was designed by a Filipino fashion student, Kenny Gasper, and it featured a beaded headpiece, an ornate tribal mask, and an ancient back cape.
The Designer took to Facebook to celebrate after his design worn by Maristella, was announced Best in National Costume.
(Yabaleft)
The management of Dowen College, Lagos has released a new statement confirming that five of its students and three house parents are currently in detention over the controversial death of one of its students, 11-year-old Sylvester Oromoni who was allegedly bullied to death by his schoolmates
In the statement addressed to parents and guardians, the school principal said the school has been working with the authorities and the Oromoni to ensure that justice is served. The principal pointed out that five students and three hostel parents have been taken into custody but that it isn’t an admission of guilt or wrongdoing
The principal also added that following the preliminary investigations, the management hopes that the Ministry of Education will let the school have a timeline for next term.
Read the full text of the statement below.
”Dear Parents/Guardians As we continue to commiserate with the entire Oromoni family, we also extend our condolences to our students, parents, staff and indeed the entire Dowen College family on the demise of our beloved son Slyvester.
We would like to extend our appreciation to all our parents and guardians for their calls, messages, advice and encouragement as we navigate this difficult time together.
We would also like you to know that we are working together with the relevant authorities and the Oromoni family to ensure that justice is seen and served in this matter. We understand and appreciate your anxiety and support. We plan to do all that we can to ensure that the education and future of our dear children is not mortgaged.
Investigations are moving along and we continue to work with all the relevant authorities.
1) So far all five of the children suspected have been remanded in custody as well as the three hostel parents. Please note this is NOT an admission of guilt or wrongdoing but part of their process.
2) The school and members of the Oromoni family have met cordially with the Commissioner of Police to discuss the matter and the way forward.
Pat Utomi, professor of political economy and APC chieftain, lamented increased poverty and insecurity under President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, asserting that Nigeria is the most miserable place to live.
“The truth of the matter is that this is the most miserable place to live on earth today; all the statistics say so,” Mr Utomi said on Channels TV. “Poverty rules the land but do you see it reflected in the lives of the political class? No, you don’t. Today, we have overtaken India in terms of the total number of the poorest people on the planet.”
He added, “They are dying from insecurity with all the killings every day, more people are killed in Nigeria every day in most of the major civil wars of the world. Today we are dying more from malaria than any other people in the world.”
Mr Utomi accused Nigerian politicians of lacking empathy.
Politics has been reduced to how do you capture a state and use it for your own aggrandisement… Nigerian politicians do not have empathy for the people. There is a complete disconnect between the political class and the people,” Mr Utomi explained.
Mr Utomi’s remark came amid the deterioration of worsening insecurity.
Last week, bandits ambushed a 42-seater bus at Sabon Birni, Sokoto, killing 23 persons.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday sent a delegation to Sokoto and Katsina.
I have dispatched a high-level delegation of security and intelligence chiefs, led by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.), to Sokoto and Katsina states, in response to the spike in the activities of bandits in the two states,” Mr Buhari said.
(Journalist101)
Bandits have continued to collect levies from farmers in Birnin Gwari, even after the restoration of telecommunication services in the state, Alhaji Zubairu Abdurra’uf ,an indigene and traditional title holder of ‘Dan Masanin Birnin Gwari has said.
Reports from.Birnin Gwari and from other parts of Kaduna State, indicated that the bandits have committed nefarious acts with impunity, after the authorities restored telecommunication services in the state.
Some natives from Birnin Gwari said the bandits had denied farmers in the area from conveying the farm.produce they harvested,in spite of the series of counter attacks by the nation’s security agencies.
Alhaji Zubairu Idris Abdurra’uf,the Ɗan Masanin Birnin Gwari ,told the BBC Hausa that ” restoring the telecommunication services had afforded the people of Birnin Gwari the opportunity to communicate with each other and with the security agencies ,anytime the bandits attacked.”
“The soldiers have bombarded Birnin Gwari forests,but it appeared nothing has changed about insecurity in the area. The situation now is like nothing has changed, bandits are attacking, even though the security agents are also attacking them, till date, attacks on communities have not stopped, ” he said.
He said the disturbing fact was that the bandits were currently imposing tax on farm produce and farmers must pay or be dealt with.
Many farmers will lose their farm products ,the bandits have denied them access to their farms unless they pay tax before they will be allowed to harvest the crops. “
Reports in recent times, said the Nigerian military succeeded in destabilising a gang of bandits that had been terrorising travelers plying the Kaduna-Abuja road, where over 45 bandits were killed including their kingpin ,Ali Kwaja.
(Vanguard)
