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Lee Probert has been criticised after giving a yellow card for an emotional celebration, but he’s been backed by an unlikely figure
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Wayne Rooney is set to come out of international retirement to play for England for a farewell game against the United States at Wembley.
Wayne Rooney: England's record goalscorer set for farewell appearance
Atheists in Kenya have given their reasons for supporting calls for the amendment of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, that will expunge any reference to God.
Continue reading Atheists want ‘Godâ€
expunged from constitution at Vanguard News Nigeria.
Atheists want ‘God†expunged from constitution
God Is A Woman hitmaker Ariana Grande has become a trending topic once again following the release of her new music titled, “Thank u, next”.
Grande’s mom, Joan Grande, tweeted about the song’s release, which came out Saturday night, just minutes before Saturday Night Live.
This is coming after the award-winning Grande insinuated on Twitter that there would be some sort of new music out soon that’s directly related to her ex-fiancé Pete Davidson.
Fans can’t stop talking about the new song which she has had to defend is “far from a diss track.” In fact, “it’s the opposite,” she tweeted.
In another string of tweets, she alluded to the song being about Davidson.
“i’m so …. f–kin ….. grateful,” she said in one message. “For my …… ex,” the next one read.
In “Thank u, next,” Grande calls out Davidson by name in one of her lines. She also mentions her ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller, who died in September. She sang,
“Now I listen and laugh / Even almost got married / And for Pete, I’m so thankful / Wish I could say, ‘Thank you’ to Malcolm / ‘Cause he was an angel,” she croons in the first verse.
The song is less of a bitter “on to the next” type of song, but rather a sincere thanks to her ex-boyfriends for all teaching her valuable lessons.
“One taught me love / One taught me patience / One taught me pain / Now, I’m so amazing / I’ve loved and I’ve lost.”
In the end, Grande makes it seem that this has been a huge learning experience and she declares she’s even met someone new:
“Her name is Ari / And I’m so good with that.”
It would be recalled that on Saturday, the Bed singer announced the name of her new album and the title track. It’ll be called “Thank U, Next.” Grande explained the meaning of the song and meaning behind the title in a Twitter discussion with her fans.
Ariana Grande Sings About Exes In New Song, "Thank u, next""
The attestation of result was presented to President Buhari by WAECâ€s registrar, Dr. Uyi Uwadiae on Friday, November 2, 2018.
According to a tweet by WAEC, the document is given to a candidate whose certificate is damaged or missing.
The exam body also went on to explain that it also carries the passport photo which the candidate submitted during application.
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Speaking on the issuance of the attestation of result to the President which generated a lot of reactions from Nigerians, the spokesman of WAEC, Damianus Ojijeogu told Punch that Buhari applied for the document.
He said “We would not have given him the document if he didnâ€t apply. It is only Buhari or a court that can ask for the results. There is no other person. So he asked for it.â€�
Meanwhile, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in an interview with Punch, said WAEC took the initiative to issue the attestation of result to the President to clear its name.
Shehu said “No, the President did not apply for the documents. I made this clear in an opinion I wrote on Friday.
“The presentation of the documents to the President was strictly an initiative of WAEC.
“They said they read about the controversy on the pages of newspapers and saw the need to save the integrity of the council.�
According to WAEC, it started issuing attestation of results in 2015.
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When asked by some Nigerians on Twitter, why the document was not presented to Mr. President back then, the body replied saying that Buhari did not apply for it.
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WAEC also listed the 6 things those who want to be issued with an attestation of result have to do.
ALSO READ: WAEC accused of manufacturing result for Buhari
1. Write a letter of application.
2. Get a police report on lost or damaged certificate.
3. Provide a photocopy of the lost or damaged certificate.
4. Submit two recent passport-sized photos.
5. Get a sworn affidavit for collection of Attestation of Result.
6. Pay an administrative fee of N20, 000.
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The attestation of result was presented to President Buhari by WAECâ€s registrar, Dr. Uyi Uwadiae on Friday, November 2, 2018.
WAEC, presidency reportedly in conflict over Buhariâ€s attestation of result
The All Progressives Grand alliance (APGA) has warned that all officials who subverted the partyâ€s primary election processes in Anambra would be sanctioned. Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, the Secretary of APGA reconciliation Committee for Anambra, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Sunday. Obi-Okoye said the party […]
The post Crisis: APGA Warns Primary Election Manipulators appeared first on Leadership Newspaper and Nigerian News Network.
Crisis: APGA Warns Primary Election Manipulators
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated this in a statement on Saturday by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information in Abuja.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated this in a statement on Saturday by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information in Abuja.
Abubakar disclosed this when he visited Dr Ali Pantami, Director General of the NITDA in Abuja.
He said it was part of efforts to use grown Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solution to the insurgency fight in the country.
He said that the current security challenges facing the nation could not be effectively tackled without adequate employment of air power.
He observed that this was the reason for the deployment of air assets in virtually all areas where security challenges existed in the country.
He said that this has helped in degrading the insurgents in the Northeast as well as routing banditry in the Northwest and containing other internal security threats in other parts of the country.
The CAS noted, however, that the effective and efficient employment of air power in modern warfare was, in turn, highly dependent on the effective use of ICT in operations.
Abubakar noted, for instance, that the NAF depends on ICT infrastructure for real-time down-streaming of information from NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms to ground stations in NAF Bases.
The air chief said the Base Defence systems at critical NAF Bases in Port Harcourt, Maiduguri and Yola are also ICT based.
He said this had made it imperative for the NAF to develop needed human capacities and employ the relevant technologies that would help sustain the use of air power in the various theatres of operation.
The CAS noted that because of this, the NAF has been building needed capacity of personnel in relevant ICT fields, with some of its personnel recently trained in the United States of America and India.
He, however, pointed out that the Service was seeking for other training opportunities within the shores of Nigeria and therefore solicited the support of NITDA in this regard.
Abubakar also said that the NAF would need the assistance of NITDA in building on some of its ICT related Research and Development (R&D) efforts.
In his response, Pantami expressed delight to receive the CAS in his office and commended the Service for the important role it has been playing in securing the territorial integrity of the country.
He noted that ICT was a critical enabler in virtually all fields of endeavour whether healthcare, education or the military.
Pantami agreed with the fact that it would be virtually impossible to successfully secure a country in this modern era without adequate employment of ICT.
He noted that NITDA was statutorily responsible for the development and regulation of all matters relating to Information Technology in Nigeria and was well positioned to provide necessary support to organisations and individuals.
He said the Agency had assisted a number of Nigerians to record significant breakthroughs in software development, block chain technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, among others.
He said the Agency was more than ready to partner with the NAF in ICT employment for enhanced operational efficiency.
He then advocated the establishment of a joint committee comprising members of the NAF and NITDA to work out the specific areas of collaboration.
Pantami said that some of the Directors of the Agency had earlier spoken on how NITDAâ€s partnership with the NAF was in consonance with one of the pillars of the National ICT Policy, which focused on enhancing national security.
He also pointed out that the partnership would enable the Agency further push forward its agenda in the areas of ICT adaptation, local content development and human capacity development.
The NAF has, in the past 3 years, established strategic partnerships with several relevant government agencies and institutions aimed at enhancing NAFâ€s R&D efforts as well as improving overall effectiveness and efficiency.
The most recent of these partnerships was solidified during the CAS†visit to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Sept. 20
NAF, NITDA partner on insurgency fight
The Uruguayan striker was relieved to beat Rayo Vallecano, even if it was far closer than last weekend’s win over Real Madrid
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It was fun at its peak at the Muri Okunola Park on Saturday, November 3, 2018 with over 40 vendors and 2000 guests in attendance.
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It was fun at its peak at the Park on Saturday, November 3, 2018 where with Nigerian artistes, Teni the Entertainer, Odunsi, BOJ, Ajebutter22, DJ Lambo giving the audience the time of their lives at the festival.
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Porkoyum through the food fest launched two products: Porkoyum Bacon and Porkoyum Sausage available in stores across Lagos.
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Porkoyum food fest had over forty vendors from all around the country and played host to over 2000 people and food enthusiasts.
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The festival also featured activities such as games and competitions.
Teni the Entertainer, Ajebutter22, Odunsi, BOJ give amazing performance at Porkoyum Food Fest
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow is ruled out of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle because of his ankle injury.
Sri Lanka v England: Jonny Bairstow ruled out of first Test in Galle
[FILE] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides on the spot the underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on April 24, 2016. (KCNA/via REUTERS)
North Korea has warned the United States it will “seriously” consider returning to a state policy aimed at building nuclear weapons if Washington does not end tough economic sanctions against the impoverished regime.
For years, the North had pursued a “byungjin” policy of simultaneously developing its nuclear capabilities alongside the economy.
In April, citing a “fresh climate of detente and peace” on the peninsula, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the nuclear quest complete and said his country would focus on “socialist economic construction”.
But a statement issued by the North’s foreign ministry said Pyongyang could revert to its former policy if the US did not change its stance over sanctions.
“The word ‘byungjin’ may appear again and the change of the line could be seriously reconsidered,” said the statement carried by the official KCNA news agency late Friday.
At a historic summit in Singapore in June, US President Donald Trump and Kim signed a vaguely-worded statement on denuclearisation.
But little progress has been made since then, with Washington pushing to maintain sanctions against the North until its “final, fully verified denuclearisation” and Pyongyang condemning US demands as “gangster-like”.
“The improvement of relations and sanctions are incompatible,” said the statement, released under the name of the director of the foreign ministry’s Institute for American Studies.
“What remains to be done is the US corresponding reply,” it added.
The statement is the latest sign of Pyongyang’s increasing frustration with Washington.
Last month, the North’s state media carried a near 1,700 words long commentary accusing the US of playing a “double game”, implicitly criticising Trump for his comments aimed at barring Seoul from lifting sanctions against Pyongyang.
Despite a flurry of diplomacy on and around the peninsula differences are emerging between Seoul and Washington, which stations 28,500 troops in the South to protect it from its nuclear-armed neighbour.
The South’s dovish president Moon Jae-in has long favoured engagement with the North, which is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
He has dangled large investment and joint cross-border projects as incentives for steps towards denuclearisation, while the US has been adamant pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it fully dismantles its weapons programmes.
In an interview with Fox News on Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated that sanctions will remain until Pyongyang carries out denuclearisation commitments made in Singapore, adding he will meet with his North Korean counterpart next week.
North Korea warns of returning to nuclear policy
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has reinstated the positions of all political appointees, who resigned their positions to contest the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and lost. The governor also reinstated all civil servants, who resigned to contest in the primaries to their former positions in the civil service. Special Adviser […]
Dickson reinstates appointees, civil servants who lost primary elections
Dickson reinstates appointees, civil servants who lost primary elections
The 21-year-old came on to snatch a winner for the Red Devils against Bournemouth but the former United captain feels he needs more game time to grow
Rashford needs to start for Manchester United, not Lukaku – Rio Ferdinand
One of the aides of Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha texted me and complained bitterly about what he perceived as anti-Okorocha stance in the media. He complained that throughout the week that just ended, some newspapers on their own had named Hope Uzodinma as the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State.
Continue reading Shades of sin in Imo at Vanguard News Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari has warned Nigerian elites to stop misleading the people through their unguarded utterances.
Buhari, who is the visitor to University of Uyo, gave the warning at the 24th convocation ceremony of the institution on Saturday.
The President, who was represented by Mr Ibrahim Yakasai, Director of Corporate Communications, National University Commission (NUC), said that development and progress could not thrive in a hate-filled and divisive society.
He said universities as home of great thinkers, should give guidance to the communities to enable the people to make informed decisions as we approached 2019 general elections.
He said that the Federal Government would not condone or tolerate incendiary remarks from any person or group of persons, which were meant to cause fear and spread hate in the country.
Buhari said that the Federal Government would continue to do its best to ensure the maintenance of peace and security of lives and property in the country.
“At this point, I want to be very clear and equivocal, that the Federal Government will never condone or tolerate incendiary remarks from any person or group of persons, which are meant to harass, intimidate, cause fear and spread hate, no matter how highly placed such a person is.
� Law enforcement agencies should fish out people who make inciting statements, instigate civil disobedience, broadcast hate speeches or stir strife, riot and rebellion and bring them to book.
“We should continue to live together as brothers and sisters,� Buhari said.
The president called on the new graduates to look beyond leaders who have failed themselves and the nation but choose their heroes from among those who believe in the progress of Nigeria and emulate those who are honest and work hard in their profession.
Buhari said there was need for the curriculum of Nigerian universities to be diversified to include entrepreneurial skills to help graduates to employ themselves and others after graduation.
He disclosed that as Federal Government efforts to improve on researches in the universities, government recently provided N3 billion for scholarly and high impact researches to universities through TETFund.
He said, “The nation will continue to look up to our universities for solutions to some of the challenges we facing today.�
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Prof. Enefiok Essien, said 32 students from the institution graduated with first class honours in the 24th Convocation.
The post Our Elites Must Stop Misleading Our People, Buhari Warns appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Our Elites Must Stop Misleading Our People, Buhari Warns
I write to react to the view expressed by one Yemi Oke, an associate professor of energy law at the University of Lagos, to the effect that the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, was playing politics with the power sector.
Continue reading Power supply: Between Fashola and Prof Oke at Vanguard News Nigeria.
Power supply: Between Fashola and Prof Oke
Since today marks the eleventh year of his passing, we shine a spotlight on Cyprian Ekwensi and his outstanding works of literature.
Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi was a Nigerian author, pharmacist, journalist and broadcaster. He was a prolific writer and the second Nigerian to gain international acclaim for writing with his first novel People of the City (1954), after author Amos Tutuola for his novel, The Palm Wine Drinkard.
Ekwensi was born in Minna in present-day Niger State on September 26, 1921. From there, he learnt Hausa culture and language. He later lived in Onitsha, Anambra State, in the eastern part of the country where his family was originally from. Ekwensi was educated at Government College in Ibadan, Oyo State, Achimota College in the Gold Coast (now Ghana), and the School of Forestry in Ibadan. He also studied pharmacy at Yaba Technical Institute in Lagos, the Lagos School of Pharmacy and the Chelsea School of Pharmacy of the University of London. After that he settled in Nigeria, worked as a pharmacy lecturer in Lagos and married Eunice Anyiwo, with whom he had five children.
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After his early works gained international attention, he joined the Nigerian Ministry for Information where he rose to be the director. By 1966, with increasing tensions in the country, Ekwensi gave up his position and relocated his family at Enugu. He became chair of the Bureau for External Publicity in Biafra and an adviser to the head of state, Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu.
He wrote many critically acclaimed novels, novellas, short stories and scripts. Some of his plays were broadcast by the BBC while he was working as a pharmacy assistant at Old Church Hospital in Essex. He also recorded a voice-over for Cyril Frankel's movie movie Man of Africa (1953), which featured at the 1954 Venice Film Festival.
Ekwensi was awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature in 1969, chiefly in recognition of the success of Jagua Nana. In 2006, he became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) awarded him a posthumous medal of honour shortly after his death.
To complete the full circle of life, Ekwensi died on November 4, 2007 at the Niger Foundation in Enugu, where he had undergone an operation for an undisclosed ailment.
Ekwensi began writing short adventure stories inspired by the wild and lonely environment he worked in as a forestry officer, and the stories he heard from his father, an elephant hunter. From that he published the book Ikolo the Wrestler and Other Ibo Tales in 1947.
That same year, five of his works were published in England by Lutterworth Press as part of its African New Writing series. Another collection, a collection of romance stories, was released in 1948 by a publisher in Onitsha. In 1949, Ekwensi began to read his stories for NBC shows while also writing for several Lagos newspapers.
Ekwensi was prolific in every sense of the word. Between 1961 and 1966, Ekwensi published at least one major work every year.
Let's take a look at some of his most popular works.
People of the City (1954)
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Ekwensi began work on his first novel People of the City in 1951 while sailing to England, having won a scholarship to study pharmacy at London University. Published as pamphlets, his episodic style portrayed a vibrant portrait of life in a West African city.
The Drummer Boy (1960)
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This was one of the most popular literary texts in Nigeria. The Drummer Boy was based on the life of Benjamin 'Kokoro' Aderounmu, a well-known blind minstrel and early pioneer of Jùjú music. It is a moving description of the poverty-stricken life of a street artist who is on a quest for true happiness.
The Passport of Mallam Ilia (1960)
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Written in 1948, The Passport of Mallam Ilia tells of love and retribution. Blending traditional themes with undisguised romanticism, this classic novella explores the life, love and adventures of Mallam Ilia during Nigerian colonial times. It is one of the few Nigerian novels that inspire a yearning for adventure, as it takes you on a journey into Northern Nigeria and to self-reflection.
Jagua Nana (1961)
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Jagua Nana was Ekwensi's most successful and widely-read novel. Taking the same setting as People of the City, the story centred on the character of Jagua, a courtesan with a love for expensive things who leaves her husband to work as a prostitute in a city and falls in love with a teacher. The book explored the conflict between traditional and modern urban Africa. It was vehemently attacked by the Catholic and Anglican churches for its sexually explicit language and was banned in several schools. An application to film the book by an Italian movie company was also rejected by the Nigerian parliament. A sequel titled Jagua Nana's Daughter was published in 1987.
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He also wrote Burning Grass (1961), a collection of vignettes depicting the life of a pastoral Fulani family; Divided We Stand (1980), Motherless Baby (1980), Restless City and Christmas Gold (1975), Behind the Convent Wall (1987), Gone to Mecca (1991), The Leopard's Claw (1950), An African Night's Entertainment (1962) and Samankwe and the Highway Robbers (1975). His last published work was a collection of short stories titled Cash on Delivery (2007).
Celebrating the life and times of author, Cyprian Ekwensi
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By Adeboye Amosu South Africa midfielder, Kamohelo Mokotjo, has been ruled of his country’s crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Super Eagles of Nigeria due to injury, Completesportsnigeria. com reports. Bafana Bafana will face the Super Eagles at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on November 17. Mokotjo, 27, who plays for […]
The post South Africa Midfielder Mokotjo Rules Out Of Super Eagles Clash appeared first on Complete Sports Nigeria.
South Africa Midfielder Mokotjo Rules Out Of Super Eagles Clash
I received an e-mail early this week from a reader of the “Orbit� who read this column last Sunday. I quote the relevant part: “I am a 40 years old, well-educated Ibo (sic) man, a lawyer, born in March 1978. I live in Aba in South East Nigeria.
WHEN THE DEEP CALLS TO THE DEEP: Of God, Nigeria and her Igbo citizens
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo speaking at the 24th NES Summit in Abuja
The path to breaking the vicious circle of poverty continued on Day 2 of the Nigerian Economic Summit held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday. Participants at the summit had the opportunity to continue discussions centered on fast-tracking the development of the country.
The breakfast sessions had various topics centered on Breaking the Financial Inclusion Barrier, Education to Employment: Mind the Gap, and Financing Off-Grid Energy Projects and Launch of the Mini-Grid Investment Report.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and other discussants gave an insight during their session on Sustainable Economic Opportunities: Ending the Vicious Cycle. During this session, salient points that were raised include the commitment of government to improve investor confidence in Nigeria, regardless of the outcomes of upcoming elections; enabling as much of the population as possible to be involved in Nigeriaâ€s financial system – saving and accessing finances; addressing the population growth rate and its implications for sustainable growth for the nation.
At one of the parallel roundtables tagged “Empowering Africaâ€s Youth for the Futureâ€� which was chaired by Mr. Jim Ovia, speakers from across Africa set the agenda for the use of technology to unraveling the wealth embedded in the continent. Participants brainstormed on smart education, entrepreneurship amongst other sectors.
Also, this year, a new set of winners emerged from the second edition of the Start-Up pitch events. The winners are Gero Care, with Cold Hubs as the 1st Runner-Up, Nicademia as the 2nd Runner-Up, and Jand2Gidi as the 3rd Runner-Up.
The summit has shown that Nigerians need to change their perspective so that the nation can prosper as a whole. The action points include holding leaders accountable for outcome; empower Nigerians to prosper and to become custodians of our institutions and to mine the valuable untapped resource of the country which is her people.
Here are some pictures from the summit.
The 24th NES Summit, the beginning of a prosperous Nigeria
