Author: Isah Mukhtar

NAN-H-28

Felicitation

Bello felicitates with Osinbajo at 60

Lokoja, March 8, 2017 (NAN) Gov,.Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as a good example of excellence and loyalty worthy of emulation by all.

The governor gave the compliment in a statement on the occasion of 60th birthday of Osinbajo in Lokoja on Thursday.

He said that the Acting President had been playing a major role in piloting the country to her destiny.

He also praised him for his life of service to God and humanity, stressing that he had become a role model for the emerging political leaders in the country.

“ Today, I and the people of Kogi State join millions of Nigerians and your admirers around the world to applaud your inestimable contributions to the development of our dear nation and humanity.

. “You have been able to meet the high integrity standards of our President, the father of our great nation, which is testament of your track record as a disciplined, hardworking and patriotic Nigerian. You have set standards for us to follow,” Bello said in the statement.

He prayed that God would continue to grant the Acting President good health and grace to continue to work for the peace and progress of country and her people. ( NAN)
kKA/TA
Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-39
Workers
By Nathan Nwakamma
Yenagoa, March 7, 2017 (NAN) The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has waded into the stand-off between workers and management of Radio Bayelsa, known popularly as Glory FM.

Mr John Angese, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of the NUJ, who is also a staff of Glory FM, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Yenagoa that the state’s house of assembly had summoned the feuding parties.

Angese said that the House of Assembly Committee on Information, Chaired by Mr Salo Adikume, had received a petition on the alleged flogging of four workers of Glory FM by the general manager of the station.

“The crisis at Radio Bayelsa has reached its peak. I have been threatened with sack for no justifiable reason just because I stood in defence of workers’ rights.

“I understand efforts have reached advanced stage to stop my salary.

“The house has intervened and urged workers and management to sheath their swords and await the outcome of the intervention of the house.

“So we are all awaiting their verdict, the committee has listened to both sides,” Angese said.

The labour dispute took a turn for the worse on Feb. 22 when the General Manager of Glory FM, Mr John Idumange, allegedly flogged four union leaders.

The Radio Bayelsa Chapel of NUJ and Radio Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) had been at odds with Idumange, who was appointed on Dec. 6, 2016.

The dispute has led to intermittent disruptions of programmes by workers of the station.

Mr Tonye Yeimoleigha, the Radio Bayelsa Chapel Chairman of the NUJ, told NAN that the unions were not against reforms but argued that such reforms must be carried out in line with civil service rules.

The unions had alleged that Idumange was running the station outside public service rules, whileIdumange insist that he was doing the bidding of the Bayelsa Government that wanted him to re-position and reform the station.

Efforts made earlier by the Chief of Staff to Gov. Seriake Dickson, Mr Talford Ongolo, to broker peace at the radio station yielded no fruit.

However, Idumange while reacting to the crisis and the allegation leveled against him said that he did no wrong.

He argued that the unions were being used to sabotage his efforts at re-positioning the station which, he said, was in deplorable state before his appointment.

Idumange claimed that he uncovered a N5.7 million fraud recently and had to redeploy some workers.

“The transferred workers have been meeting with the unions at the NUJ Centre. They benefited from the corruption and are fighting back.”

The general manager told NAN that there was no going back on his reform efforts, noting that he had received the backing of the supervising Bayelsa State Ministry of Information and the State Government.

“This small radio station has 346 workers. Employment and job placements have never followed due process, we are currently re-organising the place and they are resisting our efforts.

“Those ghost workers must be fished out and the payroll cleaned up.

“The wage bill of the station is N35 million monthly and it is not sustainable.

“The unions are being instigated by the heads of departments affected in the illegal recruitment and those who came in through the back door,’’ he said. (NAN)
NN/YMU/JIE/SN

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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere

NAN – H – 93

Onukaba

Okene ( Kogi) A former Managing Director of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc, Dr Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo, was on Monday buried in Oboroke-Ihima, ancestral home in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi.

Adinoyi –Ojo, who died on Sunday evening was buried according to Muslim rites at about 5.30 p.m, followed by special Islamic prayer presided over by the Chief Imam of Ebiraland Alhaji Musa Galadima.

Adinoyi-Ojo, 57, was hit by an oncoming vehicle while running to nearby bush to avoid armed robbery attack at a spot in Igbara-Oke, Ondo State.

The former journalist died on the spot and his corpse was later deposited at a morgue in Akure.

He was said to be returning from Abeokuta to Abuja where he had gone to grace the inauguration of a library built by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

His journalism career took a turning point in 1984 as aviation correspondent to the Guardian newspaper when he scooped the importation of 53 suite cases.

The suits, believed to be loaded with millions of naira notes, were brought in violation of a ban placed on importation of naira notes from abroad.

He later served as the Special Assistant on media to the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Adinoyi-Ojo was also an aspirant during the 2015 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He is survived by a wife, Memunat and three children.

The burial was attended by dignitaries, relations, friends, colleagues and government officials, including the Director-General, the state Bureau of Information and youth mobilisation, Alhaji Abdulmalik Abdulkarim.

Meanwhile, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has described the death of Adinoyi-Ojo, who he described as a veteran journalist, as a big loss to the government and people of the state.

Bello in a condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, said that he was particularly sad that Adinoyi-Ojo’s death came at a time the state needed the services of the late media executive.

He, however, commended Adinoyi-Ojo’s contributions to journalism profession, saying that the deceased departed the world with good character, integrity, honour and intellectual sagacity.

The governor prayed God to grant the reposed soul of the departed journalist eternal rest.

He urged members of deceased’s family, friends, relations and colleagues to be consoled that Adinoyi-Ojo lived a worthy life and left indelible marks in the sand of time.(NAN)
KKA/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed

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NAN-H-58

Accident

Lagos, March 6, 2017 (NAN) Four policemen attached to X-squad of the Lagos State Police Command were killed in an auto crash on Sunday while on duty along Imota – Ikorodu road.

The command’s spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said in a statement that the policemen died during a head-on collision with a tipper lorry.

“At about 1pm on March 5, a police truck which had five policemen on board in a Nissan frontier van with registration number NPF 409 D, was involved in a fatal accident with a 911 tipper lorry with no registration number.”

“The driver, who could not be identified at the time of this report, fled the scene.

“It was disclosed that both vehicles were coming from opposite direction at a point near Isiwu town and they collided,’’ said the police spokesman.

He said that three policemen died on the spot while the fourth died in hospital, adding that the copses have been deposited at Ikorodu General Hospital and LASUTH, Ikeja for autopsy.

Famous-Cole said that investigation was ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

“As the Lagos State Police Command mourns the death of its finest officers who died in active duty, the Police Command would not leave any stone unturned to bring the suspect to justice,” he said.

He called on the public to come forward with useful information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the fleeing suspect. (NAN)

BOM/WOJ

(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

NTF begins basic techniques training for young talents

NAN-S-2
Tennis
Lagos, March 6, 2017 (NAN) Bulus Hussaini, a board member of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) on Monday said the federation had begun training for young talents on basic techniques of the sport for quality development.

Hussaini told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that seasoned coaches had visited some schools to introduce and educate the youths to enhance their skills.

“Tennis is a peculiar sport, and that is why we are gradually bringing the awareness to the young ones in schools, basically to make sure they are acquainted with ethics.

“This is with approval of the school authorities and they are really cooperating with our coaches which is a progress to our grassroots’ development efforts,’’ he said.

Hussaini noted that the up-and-coming talents could turn out to be world beaters.

According to him, the idea is also to encourage schools to make the sport part of their annual sports activities.

“This will go a long way in promoting the sport at the grassroots such that tennis would feature as a regular  schools sports activities and by so doing the youths will have the opportunity to exhibit their skills,’’ he said.

Hussaini, however, appealed to schools to organise competitions that would further motivate the passion of the youths in the sport.

The NTF member advised schools to make sports a part of their academic activities, to help students aspire to build a career in the sport.  (NAN)

FOE/ENN/MZA
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Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN – H –

Onukaba

Veteran journalist, Adinoyi Onukaba is dead

Lokoja, March 6, 2017 ( NAN) A former Managing Director of the Daily Times Nigeria Plc, Dr Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba is dead. He was aged 57.

Onukaba died at about 6pm on Sunday at a village near Akure , Ondo State capital . The spot is said to be about ten minutes to Akure.

He was on his way back to Abuja from Abeokuta , Ogun State, where he had joined other dignitaries to attend the inauguration of Obasanjo Presidential Library .

One of his relations, Mr Yusuf Itopa confirmed his death to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Lokoja on Monday.

He said that late veteran journalist turned politician was knocked down by an oncoming vehicle while running into a nearby bush to escape an armed robbery attack.

Itopa who is devastated by the death of Onukaba said that three of them, including his driver were traveling when they ran into a blockade mounted by armed robbers.

He said Onukaba’s ‘s corpse was later deposited at a mortuary in Akure from where it will be brought for burial today in his hometown, Ihima , Okehi Local Government area of Kogi State.

The late Onukaba who was Senior Special Assistant on media to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had earlier lost his first wife , Rachael about five years ago.

He, however , remarried in 2015 to Memunat

Onukaba is survived by three children, two girls and a boy.

He started his journalism career in The Guardian in 1983 and made his mark covering the airport in Lagos.

Onukaba struck friendship with many Nigerian dignitaries on this beat, including former head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo. The relationship with the latter blossomed into Onukaba writing the first biography of the retired General, titled In the Eyes of Time.

The relationship with the latter blossomed into Onukaba writing the first biography of the retired General, titled ‘In The Eyes of Time’. He also wrote the biography of Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice-president. It was titled The Story of Atiku Abubakar.

He was born on March 9, 1960 in Oboroke-Ihima, Okehi LGA of Kogi State to the family of Malam Shuaibu Onukaba and Hajia Aisha Onukaba.

He obtained his first degree in 1982 in Theatre Arts from University of Ibadan. He spent his National Youth Service Corps year at Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi –Lagos , from where he joined The Guardian in 1983.

He rose to the position of News Editor before travelling out in 1989 for graduate studies at New York University, New York, USA.

While in New York, he worked as a Research Officer at the African Leadership Forum, New York.

He also served as the Information officer, Division of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) between 1994 and 1995.

He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1996 from New York University.

Dr. Onukaba became Adjunct Professor of Mass Communication at the School of New Resources. College of New Rochelle, New York in 1997.

Between 1997 and 1998, he worked as Press Officer, Department of Public Information, United Nations (New York). In June 1998, he was sent to Iraq as an Information Officer, United Nations Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator.

Upon his return to Nigeria in 1999, he worked with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as Special Assistant on Media Relations.

He had known and related closely with both Atiku and Olusegun Obasanjo since 1984.

Onukaba got to the peak of his journalistic career in August 1999 when he was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the then ailing Daily Times of Nigeria PLC.

Onukaba returned to the presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar on Public Communications between July 2003 and April 2005.

On several occasions, Onukaba had shown interest in the governorship post of his state.

But not being a man with deep pockets, he never made it beyond the primaries. His last attempt was in 2015, when he contested for the seat. He also lost at the primary level, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

Apart from his books on Atiku Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo, he also co-authored Born to Run”, a biography of Late Dele Giwa, with Pulitzer winner Dele Olojede.

Onukaba despite his journalistic career never divorced himself from his first love, Theatre Arts.

Thus, he had written several plays, some which are Her Majesty’s Visit, A Resting Place, Tower of Burden, The Virginity Flee, The Lone Ranger, Bargain Hunting, and Soommalliyya.

His play, “The Killing Swamp” was one of the three finalists for the 2010 NLNG Literature Awards.

( NAN)
KKA/

08033702984 or kaskol36@gmail.com

NAN – H –53
Buhari
Lokoja, March 5, 2016 ( NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday made a telephone call from London to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi.

A governmen house statement issued in Lokoja said that Buhari, who made the call in the evening, interacted with the governor for a couple of minutes.

The  Director  General on media and strategy to the governor , Mr Kingsley Fanwo, who signed the statement, said Bello received the call in Lagos on his way back from Abeokuta, where he attended the inauguration of Obasanjo Library.

“ The President thanked the governor for his support and his leadership qualities.

“He told the governor that he was observing rest and will return very soon to continue his assignment of providing purposeful leadership to  the nation,” Fanwo said.

He said  Bello received the call in the presence of the Speaker of the state house of assembly, Ahmed Imam, some members of the house, commissioners and top government functionaries.(NAN)
KKA/YAZ
08033702984 or kaskol36@gmail.com

NAN-H-18

Imam

By Raji Rasak

Lagos. March 5, 2017 (NAN) The Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Hakeem, has called for an end to ethnicity in Islam and enjoined unity among Muslims in the country.

Hakeem gave the advice on Sunday at the turbanning of Alhaji Ghazali Adepoju as the Chief Imam of Iponri Housing Estate Central Mosque, Surulere, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adepoju succeeds the late Alhaji Bisiriyu Sanusi who died three years ago.

NAN reports that the turbanning ceremony was performed by Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garuba Ibrahim who urged the new Imam to be a symbol of unity among Muslims.

According to the commissioner, the fear of Allah is more important than one’s tribe or ethnic affiliation.

“Some people are dividing Islam into different groups for their selfish interests and this is causing disunity in the religion.

“Allah says we should observe congregational prayers so that the rich will be able to help the poor that is the essence of worshipping together.

“This will also ensure good relationship with one another,” the commissioner said.

Hakeem also urged believers to be functional Muslims by assisting the needy.

The chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, said that misinterpretation of the religion had led to war in many Islamic countries.

“Countries are waging wars against one another because of lack of understanding of Islam.

“Islam is a religion of peace and we should all work towards achieving this virtue,” he said.

Speaking after his turbanning, the new Imam promised to ensure unity and equity among Muslims in the community.

Highlight of the occasion was the inauguration of a nursery school within the mosque premises.

The ceremony was graced by political and religious leaders, including former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja  Lateefat Okunnu and Sole Administrator of Surulere Local Government, Mr Sheriff Balogun.  (NAN)

ROR/WOJ/WOJ

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(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

Osinbajo urges foreign airlines to use Kaduna Airport

NAN-H-85
Airlines
By Sumaila Ogabje
Kaduna, March 3, 2017 (NAN) Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has urged foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to reconsider their decision and make use of Kaduna International Airport during the six weeks closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Osinbajo made the plea in Kaduna on Friday in an interview with newsmen shortly after his on-the-spot assessment and readiness of the Kaduna airport.

He urged the airlines to bear the situation and be ready to work with the Federal Government to achieve its objective of delivering a safe and secure aviation sector.

According to him, one thing that is clear is that not all foreign airlines have declined to come here but we have met with a great number of them that are willing to come.

‘‘I think we need to tell the foreign airlines that this is an emergency and a temporary arrangement and they should be ready to work with us because we are concerned about safety and comfort.

‘‘They are here also to see things for themselves and we would be happy if they work with us,’’ he said.

The acting president, who was at the airport to inspect the progress of work and its readiness to serve as a temporary substitute for Abuja airport between March 8 and April 19, expressed satisfaction with the level of work.

He explained that as a local airport, a lot of work needed to be done to bring it to the kind of standard that would be required.

Osinbajo, however, directed the contractor to ensure speedy completion within the next five days to enhance smooth operations at the airport.

‘‘So we think it will be in a complete state of readiness by Wednesday, but I expect that within a very short time, the job will be done,’’ he said.

Mr Tanimu Abdullahi, Managing Director of Dari Investment Limited, the contractor handling the project, gave assurance that the project would be completed before the March 8 deadline.

Abdullahi said the project was 95 per cent completed, adding that the conveyor belt and all the security gadgets had been installed as well as every other critical things.

‘‘As for the fingers, we will fix them after the six week operation since it will not disrupt operation because we cannot start rushing and it is a technical issue,’’ he said.

Mrs Firiehwot Mekonnen, Manager, Sales and Traffic, Ethiopian Airlines, told newsmen that they had inspected the facilities at the airport and were ready to fly the route.

Mekonnen said the airline would maintain its Abuja daily flight schedule at the Kaduna airport, and fly its Boeing 777-30 with daily schedule.

‘‘We are going to maintain our usual schedule from Abuja to Addis Ababa. So now it is going to be Kaduna-Addis Ababa and Addis Ababa-Kaduna,’’ she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that barely a week to the closure of Abuja airport and diversion of its flights to Kaduna, the Acting President took an inspection tour to the airport on Friday.

Osinbajo, who was accompanied by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the airport. (NAN)
OYS/MOL/AFA
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide

Bayelsa Govt. directs herdsmen to relocate to grazing site

NAN-AE-8
Herdsmen
Yenagoa, March 3, 2017 (NAN) The Bayelsa Government on Friday directed herdsmen to relocate their animals to the designated grazing site at the Bayelsa Palm area.

The directive followed the successful relocation of a group of herdsmen from the Ijaw National Academy in Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state to the designated grazing site.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Chief Boma Spero-Jack, gave the directive in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Friday.

Spero-Jack stated that the directive has become imperative, because a number of herdsmen had refused to relocate to the grazing area.

While restating the government’s position, the Special Adviser stressed that the decision to create a grazing site was purely for security reasons, to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order.

He reassured the people of the state that the government would continue to protect lives and property of the citizens.

Spero-Jack, however, called for the cooperation of citizens, saying the government was doing its utmost to promote peaceful co-existence and understanding among the populace.

He appealed to the citizens to dismiss hearsays making the rounds that the leadership of the state was ceding valuable land of the state to herdsmen. (NAN)
NN/MOL/AFA
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide