Grab top news stories, news headlines from Nigeria & around the world. Find breaking news for sports, entertainment, business, lifestyle and much more
Dubai International Airport denied Yemeni Houthi rebelsâ€
reports that the airport was attacked by drones, the Dubai governmentâ€s media office said on Sunday.
Continue reading Dubai airport denies attacks by Houthi rebels†drones at Vanguard News.
Dubai airport denies attacks by Houthi rebels†drones
Kunle Afolayan's movie, 'October One' probably means more to Nigerian millennials than Independence Day.
s October 1, 2017, I had just lost my father. I woke up feeling deflated while I tried to keep everything in order. After we got into the groove of the day, only my Mum remembered what day it was.If 2017 was a different year, letâ€s throw it back to 2016 when I only remembered what the day was because I was an NYSC member.
Like a few friends of mine, we never watched the television or ranted about how bad Nigeria is on social media, neither did we talk about the broken dream of the founding fathers. We instead went to Ibueno Beach in Akwa Ibom State and balled out.
Nigerian millennials donâ€t just care about Nigeria as much is the problem. Itâ€s why a 25-year old Nigerian somewhere, seldom votes, nor is he upbeat to get his/her Permanent Voterâ€s Card (PVC) for the upcoming elections.
Nigeria is a fundamentally flawed country with selfish people at the helm of Power, navigating things problematically.
The 1966 Coups which Nigeria still pays hefty fees for in 2018. Itâ€s a terrible turn of events, but one we cannot avoid.
The first republic led by Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and President Nnamdi Azikiwe was littered with continued corruption and embezzlement in the upper echelons of Nigerian power.
Â
Obafemi Awolowo was also found guilty of the financial misappropriation of the Western Region Marketing Board. There was also the issue of personality clashes between Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola.
The timing was also off as military coups in Dahomey, Algeria, Egypt, and other countries must have filled conspirators with confidence.
Nigeria has never really been good, we were just rich at one point in the 70s when we joined OPEC. Even that national wealth was ruined by terrible embezzlement by entitled thieves.
This culture that started around FESTAC 1977 which created an era of entitlement to national wealth, has permeated through our entire culture.
This sad reality has made Nigeria a joke of an existence and that's the major reason why most people are not passionate about Nigeria — definitely not millennials.
ALSO READ: 58 Years Later, Has Nigeria Worked?
t live in the 60sNot living at a time when a dream was forged doesnâ€t mean you canâ€t believe in it. A lot of African-Americans never experienced the brute evil of slave trade and slavery, but they still fly the flag.
It is why the average African-American is loathed to seeing a non-black person call a black man, ‘niggaâ€, there is a fight worth die for and a legacy worth protecting. Nigeria has no equivalent.
How do you expect me to believe in and celebrate something that will only serve me a plate of heartbreak just moments after I celebrate it?
The lack of appreciation has also become ingrained and subconscious from years of suffering and failure since birth. It gets to a level where you just canâ€t care anymore.
As a child, even if you felt some emotion for your country during Childrenâ€s Day, the very last vestiges of that were stripped away when you wrote your Senior School Certificate Examinations in Nigeria.
s not because we are selfishAs noted earlier, you can only sacrifice yourself to a system that is destined to favour you, long and short term.
The Nigerian fabric is more fraudulent than Yahoo Boys and more problematic than our changing tides of corruption. Selfishness means abandoning the right way to hug the wrong one.
Selfishness also means a lack of sacrifice when nothing is forthcoming for you. If you sacrifice yourself to Nigeria enough, you will be broke and die jittery.
Â
Lots of public servants like the man who designed our flag, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi live in, and Rashidi Yekini died in terrible circumstances, despite their sparkling record and legacy for Nigeria.
Having a legacy in Nigeria is not enough. Your children will not eat and inherit the legacy. The only relevant people from generations are mostly sons and daughters of corrupt individuals and embezzlers.
Despite that knowledge, when the money has been cleaned by escrow accounts, tax havens, and shell companies, their children start companies with these funds or invest in multinationals.
I have to work in a country that does not want me to work, yet calls me selfish and lazy.
Â
It is not just about leaving a legacy of wealth. It is about not repeating the mistakes our parents made. In fact, dying for Nigeria is not an option, because the ball he might be political.
Do you expect me to repeat the mistakes my parents made? I refuse to. Common sense precludes me from such nonsensical sentiment. I refuse to slave like my father.
Millennials are not selfish, or unpatriotic. We are just reasonable to not sow into a system that drains you of everything and leaves you with nothing.
Our subconscious has been trained to not celebrate anything not worth celebrating and Nigeria at 58 is definitely not worth it. Itâ€s worse when we consider the affairs in Ghana and South Africa.
ALSO READ: Report says 74% of Nigerians would live in another country if they had the opportunity
Â
We would rather go fulfill that Nigeria dream and sow that seed in western colonies where our gifts are better appreciated in systems that aim to pay us our worth.
We aim to commit to systems that have been proven to actually work, not one that only aims to robs you of every altruism you have in you.
Some parents in Osun and Ekiti States have not been paid salaries in months. Osun State civil servants have not been paid in over 20 months.
Some retired parents have also not been paid their gratuity and retirement benefits after five years of submitting that letter. Neither are they being paid a dime of pension after 35 years of worthy service.
How do you want me to love that system? I cannot. I will not. The world has enough problems, I need liberation, not enslavement.
ALSO READ: Lagos is messing with my mental health
Â
Every Fourth of July in America, it is an ingrained culture that American homes celebrate and wine and toast to the founding fathers and a bright future.
That is a symbol of hope, where greatness seems achievable and life seems positive, despite having Donald Trump as President.
Even in America, a July 2, 2015 article by Larissa Faw for Media Post said, "Independence Day is a traditionally a time for barbeques and fireworks, but for millennials, July 4th also includes booze." Some will attribute it to the non-conformist millennial tendency that doesn't respect history, but it's not that simple.
We respect things that seem palpably commendable.
It operates on the understanding that America is more than Trump and it is true.
Our parents never created a culture like that and who can blame them? Nigeria has a systemic problem that has festered over the generations.
Our parents could not celebrate Nigeria because there was nothing worth celebrating. As such, we bought into that truth and we became more stoic as we saw Nigeria worsen.
Our parents only ignored Independence Day abi? We even hiss at independence day, because it that nonsensical a remembrance of the terrible state of affairs in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a bad joke. Independence day certainly only serves as a painful reminder of how our cousins who grew up in America or England have better lives.
It also reminds us of how much we cannot wait to get that visa, move away and never come back. That is the Nigerian dream we know.
A dream is meant to give you positive visions. Nigeria gives terrible nightmares. Thus, we have to create our own dream. Nigeria makes it hard to dream.
As millennials, we grew up more enlightened and we are the first widely outspoken generation. We donâ€t slave — actually and psychologically where it is not worth it.
Not too young to run? Despite the supposed executive Assent to the Law, it seems a pipe dream that a young person will rule a state, let alone a nation.
We have an ingrained problem. What do you want me to do when the employment rates are falling every year? What do you want me to do when even if you find a job, it barely pays bills?
Â
What do you want us to do when we canâ€t breathe and enjoy the morning? What do you want me to do when government Universities are a joke, making people lose confidence in themselves?
What do you want me to do when I have to deal with bullying and social media trolls? What do you want me to do when drinking beer does not solve my problems?
ALSO READ: Here is how Yahoo Boys dress?
What do you want me to do when I have siblings I want the good life for, but cannot afford it? What do you want me to do when I have mental health issues to deal with?
What do you want me to do when I see my friends fade into the darkness under the influence of drugs to numb the pain? What do you want me to do when my friend committed suicide because he was gay?
What do you want me to do when I see my Northern brothers get constantly murdered by the politics called sectarian terrorism?
What do I do when my country cannot avail me any solution to these problems and only makes it worse? What do I do when living in Lagos means risking my mental health daily?
What do I do when Akure cannot offer me the life that I need? What do I do when even the music annoys me?
What do I do when my fellow youths are so frustrated, they canâ€t have a simple conversation without lacking context? What do I do when SARS only stopped harassing me for owning a Laptop in August 2018?
What do I do when the fire of inspiration has to be lit by myself every day — even days that I feel like sleeping?
Celebrate Independence Day? Iâ€d rather not.
I donâ€t celebrate Nigeria because thereâ€s nothing to celebrate. Iâ€d rather be at work, doing a job that God gave me or watch a movie.
Thereâ€s nothing to discuss.
Independence Day: Here is why October 1 means nothing to Nigerian millennials
LOKOJA-One of the affiliate of Buhari Campaign Organization, the Bus conductors Association of Nigeria, BCAN, has back the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, said they are in a hurry to see him return to Aso Rock.
Continue reading We‘ll return Buhari to Aso rock in 2019 – Bus Conductors at Vanguard News.
We‘ll return Buhari to Aso rock in 2019 – Bus Conductors
Borno State governor Kashim Shettima PHOTO: TWITTER/GOVERNOR BORNO
Governor Kashim shettima of Borno on Sunday said he endorsed the gubarnatorial candidature of Prof. Babagana Zulum, to fast track rapid social and economic transformation of the war ravaged state.
Shettima made the clarifications in a statement issued to newsmen in Maiduguri and signed by him.It will be recalled that Shettima, on Friday, threw his support behind Zulum, out of the 21 aspirants cleared by the All Progressive Congress (APC), to contest the parties primaries billed for today.
Shettima said his decision was based on wider consultations with various stakeholders and communities for the overall development of the state.
According to him, all the gubarnatorial aspirants have the qualities to serve the state, but that Zulum had the fuller understanding of the context of the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of post-insurgency Borno.
“All the aspirants have divergent qualities. However, because of the situation we found ourselves, considerations for the next governor of Borno state requires specific quips tailored to our needs for now.
“From the generality of feedbacks, there is no doubt that what will define political debate in Bornoâ€s 2019 governorship election will be promises in the aftermath of brutal conflict, deaths and destructions of communities.
“Everywhere in the world, post-conflict rehabilitation, restoration, reconcillation and ressetlement are complex, composite and interwoven.
“With humility and absolute respect for all aspirants, I will like to say that from overwhelming oppinions and feedbacks, the aspirant with an egde in understanding the peace development nexus of Bornoâ€s post conflict future is Prof. Babagaba Umara Zulum.
“For our perculier situation, Zulum has shown the potentials to take the state to the next level. His age is an advantage; at 48, he is in his prime, he is head and shoulders above me in terms of intellect, capacity and indefatigability. Zulum is without a slightest doubt, a workhorse,� he said.
Shettima maintained that his support for Zulumâ€s candidature would not negate other candidates from contesting in the primaries.While commending the aspirants and other party members, the governor tasked them to work together as a team, to enable the party win the election.
Zulum, a Professor of Irrigation Engeneering, was until his endorsement as a gubernatorial candidate, a Commissioner for Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Ressettlemet.
“Why I annoited Zulum as my successor�- Shettima
The Argentine has been looking into the future – of both his talented PSG team-mate and his own
Mbappe is a future Ballon dâ€Or winner – Di Maria
LEADERSHIP
Wife of the Senate President, Toyin Ojora Saraki has emphasised that government investment in strengthening health insurance systems is paramount to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria and around the world. Saraki who stated this while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, noted that Civil registration and vital statistics systems must be […]
The post Toyin Saraki Seeks Govt Investment To Achieve UHC appeared first on Leadership Newspaper.
Toyin Saraki Seeks Govt Investment To Achieve UHC
A pedestrian wearing a rain cover crosses a street after Typhoon Trami hits the city of Kagoshima, on Kyushu island, on September 30, 2018. A powerful typhoon hurtled toward Japan's mainland after injuring dozens on southern islands, as weather officials warned that fierce winds and torrential rain could trigger landslides and floods.Behrouz MEHRI / AFP
A powerful typhoon pounded Japan’s mainland Sunday after injuring dozens on outlying islands, bringing transport grinding to a halt and triggering warnings of fierce winds, torrential rain, landslides and floods.
Typhoon Trami has already snarled travel in the world’s third-biggest economy, with bullet train services suspended, more than 1,000 flights cancelled and Tokyo’s evening train services scrapped.
The storm’s huge eye was forecast to move near the city of Osaka before churning across the Japanese archipelago, likely hitting areas still recovering from extreme weather that has battered Japan in recent months.
In total, 65 people have sustained minor injuries — mainly cuts from shattered glass — and one woman was reported missing in the Miyazaki region, which was drenched by record rainfall and suffered localised flooding.
According to local media, the woman in her 60s was swept away by gusts in a gutter while working with her husband in their ricefield.
Nationwide, authorities have issued non-compulsory evacuation advisories to 1.5 million residents, according to public broadcaster NHK, and officials urged people across the country to stay indoors.
Nearly 500,000 households in the western region of Kyushu and Okinawa have lost power, local utilities said.
Violent gusts and heavy rain made it impossible to venture outside, said Yuji Ueno, an official in the town of Shirahama in Wakayama prefecture, which was forecast to be right in Trami’s path.
“From around 2pm, we saw incredible winds and rain. I stepped outside the city hall in the afternoon, and the rain was swirling in very strong wind. Enormous wind.”
“It was difficult to stay standing. It was very scary,” Ueno told AFP.
As the typhoon barrelled east, rail authorities took the highly unusual step of cancelling evening train services in Tokyo, one of the world’s busiest networks, urging passengers to shelter indoors when the storm hits.
– Hunkering down –
The typhoon is not expected to hit the capital head-on but strong winds and heavy rain are still feared from later Sunday. Some businesses were already putting up shutters and hunkering down.
Trami is the latest in a string of extreme natural events in Japan, which has suffered typhoons, flooding, earthquakes and heatwaves in recent months, claiming scores of lives and causing extensive damage.
Packing maximum gusts of 216 kilometres (134 miles) per hour, Trami was expected to travel over most of the archipelago, weakening slightly but causing extreme weather into Monday, forecasters said.
Still classed as a “very strong” typhoon, Trami pounded Kagoshima on the western tip of Japan early Sunday, causing minor injuries — such as cuts from broken windows and people knocked over by gusts.
‘It’s really deserted’
The western city of Osaka lay close to the path of the storm and its Kansai Airport, which is situated on reclaimed land offshore and suffered extensive damage in a storm earlier in September, closed two runways.
Officials piled up sandbags to avoid a repeat of flooding seen during the previous storm.
Speaking to AFP from a hotel near the airport, British businessman Richard Swart said: “It’s actually quite warm outside, very windy and with very heavy rain.”
“The airport is closed. There are very few people around and all the shops are shut. It’s really deserted,” added Swart, 56, from Durham in northern England.
Even from the safety of the hotel, he said he could hear the wind “howling” outside.
The Japanese meteorological agency warned the typhoon would bring strong winds and downpours, which could trigger landslides and floods as well as lightning strikes and tornados across the nation.
Cities in the expected path of the typhoon were already taking precautions.
East Japan Railway stopped all train services in and around Tokyo at 8pm, shortly before the typhoon was to draw near the Japanese capital.
Some western regions are still recovering from Typhoon Jebi in early September, the most powerful typhoon to strike the country in a quarter of a century. It claimed 11 lives and shut down Kansai Airport.
Deadly record rainfall hit western Japan earlier this year and the country sweltered through one of the hottest summers on record.Also in September a magnitude-6.6 earthquake rocked the northern island of Hokkaido, sparking landslides and leaving more than 40 people dead.
Typhoon Trami pounds Japan, dozens injured
The spokesman of the Benue police command, Moses Yamu told newsmen that officers are investigating the incident.
According to Daily Post, the attack was carried out on Saturday, September 29, 2018.
Speaking on the incident, the spokesman of the Benue police command, Moses Yamu said officers are investigating the incident.
Yamu also said “Yes, some yet-to-be-identified criminals believed to be natives of Olo community came and opened fire on residents of Okpoga, killing six persons.
“The real cause of the incident is still sketchy but investigation is still on. So far, no arrest has been made yet.�
A source also alleged that the gunmen might have come from a neighbouring community – Olo in Edumoga district.
The source said the community has been at loggerheads with Okpoga people for a while.
Also, there has been unease at Rukuba Road in Jos North local government area of Plateau State.
According to reports,  of people during an attack on Thursday, September 27, 2018.
The Plateau state police commandâ€s spokesman, Tyopev Terna also confirmed the incident.
In Benue: Gunmen attack community kill 6
Some All Progressives Party (APC) card-carrying members in Bauchi on Sunday expressed their disenchantment over the late commencement of the party†s primaries in the state.
Continue reading APC members in Bauchi decry late commencement of primaries at Vanguard News.
APC members in Bauchi decry late commencement of primaries
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone was left frustrated with VAR after Casemiro was not penalised for appearing to handle the ball in the penalty area during Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Real Madrid. Simeone’s side claimed a deserved point at the Santiago Bernabeu, but things could have been even better had they been given a first-half […]
The post Simeone Unhappy With Key Penalty Decision In Atleti Draw At Real Madrid appeared first on Complete Sports Nigeria.
Simeone Unhappy With Key Penalty Decision In Atleti Draw At Real Madrid
The Juventus superstar believes he is being victimised, after being sent off against Valencia and failing to win the FIFA and UEFA best player prizes
Why Ronaldo feels he is being persecuted since leaving Real Madrid
The Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, says brain drain, improper policies and investments, inadequate facilities and health insurance are yet to be addressed in the health sector as the nation marks its 58th independence.
The chapterâ€s president, Dr Saliu Oseni, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos in commemoration of the countryâ€s 58th Independence.
According to him, the sector has not recorded much improvement in spite of efforts made by government and other agencies to improve it.
“The reality is that the sector has not been improving; the National Health Insurance that is presumed to have covered about five per cent is far behind the expected result.
“Out-of-Pocket payment is still a challenge and as long as the country does not improve on health insurance, it will be near impossible to achieve Universal health Coverage,� said Oseni.
He explained that brain drain was not helping matters as the country did not have enough health workers to serve the population.
According to him, in an average general hospital, doctors see not less than 50 patients at any clinic period and the situation is worse outside Lagos State.
“The ratio of doctors to patients in the country is still put at 1 to 6,000 patients and the World Health Organisation suggested one doctor to ten patients.
“We have a lot of specialists coming up now, but most of them do not have the facilities to practice what they specialised in,� he said.
The chairman said the sector could improve if the government addressed the issues and collaborated with stakeholders in the sector.
According to him, a proper public and private partnership will go a long way to improve the health sector.
Oseni said: “Government needs to support private practitioners so that they can play that role of primary and secondary providers that they are supposed to play.
“There should be proper policies, investments, monitoring of funds allocated and assurance of implementation of policies or projects embarked on will take us a long way.
“Also, improved welfare of health workers, security of jobs and the environment, provision of adequate facilities will help improve the sector.�
Independence Day: Health sector still needs improvement, says NMA
Cristiano Ronaldo believes he was wrongly overlooked for the Fifa goal of the year award and claims his overhead kick for Real Madrid against Juventus last season was the “most beautiful”. The Portugal international was shortlisted for the Puskas Award alongside Gareth Bale’s own bicycle kick in the Champions League final against Liverpool and Mohamed […]
The post Ronaldo Questions Salah’s Puskas Award appeared first on Complete Sports Nigeria.
Ronaldo Questions Salah’s Puskas Award
The death toll from a powerful earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia leapt to 832 Sunday, as stunned people on the stricken island of Sulawesi struggled to find food and water and looting spread.
Continue reading Death toll over 800 in Indonesiaâ€s quake-Tsunami at Vanguard News.
Death toll over 800 in Indonesiaâ€s quake-Tsunami
In the spirit of the Independence celebration, see 5 Nollywood movies that capture the Nigerian culture, spirit and unsung heroes.
What could be more satisfying than to lie in relaxation and watch a movie that celebrates Nigeria and the spirit of her citizens – ranging from biographical dramas to entertaining box-office blockbusters?
These movies below capture the Nigerian culture, journey of unsung heroes and the strength of Nigerians as a people.
1. "The Wedding Party"
Â
The highest grossing Nigerian film, "The Wedding Party" represents the flamboyant Nigerian wedding culture. Except for the absence of the fundamental Nigerian Jollof rice – I mean, who holds a Nigerian wedding without Jollof rice? – the movie does its best to capture a typical Nigerian wedding.
It is a representation of all the drama that could occur pre and post a wedding party. A typical Nigerian wedding party is fun, dramatic, tedious, but definitely entertaining.
A typical Nigerian wedding has that relative who turns up for the food or souvenirs, friends who turn up for the 'gram' and even an envious ex who is just there to witness and gloat over the inadequacies of the ceremony.
"The Wedding Party" captures the energy, music, colourfulness, culture and fashion that makes a Nigerian wedding party fun to attend.
Â
If there's any film that attempts to celebrate and encourage heroic soldiers and their contributions to the country, it is "A Soldier's Story."
The movie follows a soldier on a peacekeeping mission, who is left for dead by some rebel soldiers. The movie depicts various emotions such as the heartbreak and anguish that accompanies the news of the demise of a loved one in battle.
This story is such that ensures we remember the labours of these heroes past; heroes such as the Lt. Colonel Muhammad Abu Ali and other gallant officers who died in service during the war against Boko Haram.
3. "A Place in the Stars"
Â
Inspired by the tenure of the late Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Dora Akunyili, the 2014 Steve Gukas film tells the story of Dakim, a young lawyer who is in possession of vital information about the trafficking of counterfeit drugs that can save many lives if he passes it on, but make millions of dollars if he doesnâ€t.
Late Professor Dora Akunyili, during her tenure as the Head of NAFDAC, tirelessly fought to halt the sale and use of fake drugs, even at the expense of her life. She would go on to become the Federal Minister of Information & Communication in 2008, and spear-headed a rebranding campaign for Nigeria with the slogan: “Good People, Great Nation�.
The film acknowledges the dogged and honest spirit of several Nigerians out there who have been consistent in being good and portraying Nigeria as a great nation.
Â
Nigeria is a country with several cultural practices that define us. We have the Sharo ceremony in Fulani Land; traditional baby naming ceremony in Yoruba land; the fattening room in Efik land; and Omugwo in Igbo land.
But if we are talking about one of the films that encapsulates an interesting culture of a tribe in Nigeria, it's "Saworide," which means talking drum or brass bell in English Language.
The Tunde Kelani film follows the setting of an old Yoruba norm in the town of Jogbo, where a person can not be crowned king without the Saworoide being played by the right person.
Drumming is a key part of the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. They are several drums such as Gangan (Talking Drum), Bata, Saworide, Omela Ako; all used for different occasions.
The film celebrates the charm of African art, and the beauty of tradition and folklore.
Most importantly the movie speaks on Nigeria and how it has dealt with civil rule and military dictatorship.
"93 Days" celebrates the sacrifices of the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh and all who risked their lives to make sure the Ebola virus was contained in Nigeria.
On July 20, 2014, Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, arrived Lagos. He became severely ill upon arrival and died five days later of the Ebola disease. Almost 93 days later, on 20 October 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Nigeria to be Ebola free.
The method used to contain the virus brought positive recognition from around the world for the country. In WHOâ€s Ebola Situation Assessment report, it was commended with lessons for countries such as the United States. Nigeria had become that exemplary kid in class for a good behavior.
Ebola was controlled as a result of the quick thinking, resilience and selflessness of the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh and other medical personnel. Ameyo is credited for curbing a wider spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria by placing Patrick Sawyer in quarantine despite pressures from some quarters to have him released.
Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh died on 19 August 2014, few weeks after testing positive for the Ebola virus disease.
Apart from recording a significant period in Nigeria, the movie "93 Days" depicts the strength, selflessness and sacrificial nature of Nigerians.
Which of your favourite Nollywood films celebrates Nigeria as a country? Share with us in the comment section.
Independence Day: 5 Nollywood movies that celebrate Nigeria
