Richard Mofe-Damijo’s integrity as the Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism is seriously being questioned as he has been accused of looting N50 million belonging to the ministry.

RMD is accused of conniving with the General Manager of Delta state’s Tourism Board, Miss Philo Nkem Ajufo while he attempted to keep the account’s treasury open until thinking off holding back an amount of money that has been available since the ‘Delta Expo 2007’.

There is no proof but there was a chain of irregular activities under subsequent administrations.  However, it was learnt that the state government could not approve the said amount that same year for some reasons.

The source said the funds were eventually approved and released to the ministry of tourism under the leadership of Damijo in May, 2012.

‘As soon as the money arrived, the commissioner said that the ministry could no longer hold the event since six years had elapsed’, a source said

‘The Honourable Commissioners also argued that Deltans would have forgotten about the event – and therefore the money should not be used for the purpose it was released’, the source added.

Some documents obtained by newsmen from the Delta State Ministry of Finance reportedly show that the N50 million must be spent on the event for which the Culture Ministry applied for it.

The warrant, which was signed by one P.O. Evuojapha on behalf of the Commissioner of Finance indicates that N35 million of the funds was meant for the Tourism Board.

Insiders however said that Damijo allegedly conspired to issue a cheque of N35m in the name of the General Manager of the state’s Tourism Board, Ms. Ajufo who allegedly deposited the sum into her First Bank private account number 3006131619.

‘Mrs. Ajufo and RMD then shared the money,’ our sources alleges; insisting Ms. Ajufo allegedly used her share of the looted funds to start off a twin duplex building located at No. 6 Dunkwu Crescent, Asaba in June, 2012.

The twin complex we gathered is behind Junior Staff quarters and opposite one of the branches of Redeemed Christian Church (RCCG) in the state.

The source further said that tourism board’s members had denied receiving any of the embezzled funds.

‘She accused Mr. Mofe Damijo of carting away the whole sum of N50 million even when her account was used to commit the fraud.’

Posted by mosvin bami.

A popular Lagos Lawyer and human rights activist, Fred Agbaje, in a recent interview with Yes magazine, spoke extensively on how he cope with Nigerian women and his perception about them. His words below:
“If you abandon your job and begin to pursue women, they will bring you down. The average Nigerian woman, they want successful men; those who have made their marks in their professions, those who have a name. But you have to be careful to avoid them, otherwise they will bring you down; otherwise they will cause you distractions.”
Mr Agbaje continues: “And let me tell you, it’s not all the girls out there that have anything to offer you; it’s what they can take from you. Otherwise why don’t they go for people who are still struggling? 75% of Nigerian women today, they want successful men. Meanwhile, ask them what their contribution to help that man to greater heights, nothing!
“I resume work 7 o’clock, I close 10,11pm every day. So, I have no time for those frivolities. So, is it the type of me that one lady will be running after? I’m not saying they don’t come after me, they come after me, but I know that they just want to associate with the name and what they can get. Not what they are going to contribute; they have nothing to contribute, they have nothing to offer me and that is typical of 75% of Nigerian women out there.
“That is why most of them remain single at 35.Because they are looking for ready-made men, not who they can build with… Not even coming in and helping you to develop further… That’s why you use and dump them!”
So, ladies there you have it. Has he said it exactly as it is?
Source: dailypost

Posted by mosvin bami.

by Akan Ido

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture (UNAAB), Abeokuta, Ogun State, Professor Olusola Oyewole recently advised students to focus on their studies and spend less of their time on social networking sites such as Facebook.

Oyewole, who was represented by Prof. Bolanle Akeredolu-Ale, disclosed this at a seminar tagged: Role Modeling Lecture for the Girl-Child, organised by a Ph.D student and 2010 Award Fellow, Bolanle Ogunlolu-Akinyemi.

The seminar was sponsored by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development.

Oyewole said, “Facebook and other social networks are good, but I will advise you to leave Facebook and face your studies. You know yourself more than anyone else, so desist from comparing yourselves with others.”

The school’s Councillor, Modesta Ofodile, reportedly urged the students to engage in reading in their spare time which she said will serve them well when examinations eventually start.

According to Ofodile: “If you waste your time thinking there is time, examinations will catch you unawares.”

Posted by mosvin bami.

The President and Founder, Global Harvest Church, Pastor Victor Adeyemi, has dismissed the criticism trailing the acquisition of private jets by men of God in the country, saying that they need private jets for evangelism.

The cleric said this on Sunday during the first anniversary of the church in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

He said, “It is very unfortunate that the acquisition of private jets has coloured the image of the pentecostal churches. They accuse many of living lavish lifestyles and just looking for comfort at the expense of the poor congregation. For me, it is a matter of perspective. Looking at a nation like ours where there is high prevalence of poverty, you can think that way.

“Of course, I cannot hold brief for people who have acquired one. However, I can certainly tell you that one of the people that own one has branches of their churches in well over 100 nations of the world.

According to him: “As a businessman or a preacher who runs a very busy schedule requiring you to be in several nations of the world within days or in a week, you may need it.

“On a particular mission from Kenya to Nigeria we had a convention in Nigeria, and we were stuck at the airport in Kinshasha, Zaire for more than 12 hours before we were able to get a connecting flight to Nigeria.”

The youthful preacher explained that the need to attend urgent programmes and safety called for men of God to acquire private jets.

He blamed the poor infrastructure in Africa on poverty and lack of self-discipline to deliver good governance by the leadership, saying that “It is certain that evil rulers will eat the fruits of their doings.”

The Pastor in Charge, Global Harvest Church, Outer Ring Road branch, Ibadan, Olumide Adewumi, urged his congregation to be safety-conscious especially during this festive period.

Posted by mosvin bami.

Director-General, State Security Service, Mr. Ekpenyong Ita, has said terrorists crave media attention in order to intimidate and instil fear into people.

Declaring open a  workshop for media professionals at the Institute for Security Studies,Bwari, Abuja on Monday, Ita explained that the objective of terrorist groups was to maximise publicity for their attacks in order to have a larger than life reputation.

He said, “Publicity is the oxygen craved by terrorists. When they carry out attacks, they want as much publicity as possible and when the media sensationalise such an attack, the terror groups have achieved their objectives of getting wide media publicity which is aimed at intimidating and installing fear into people.”

He therefore urged journalists to avoid sensationalism as they provide information to the public.

The DG, who said many terrorist groups pursue the interests of their sponsors, noted that nobody knows the interests being pursued by Boko Haram members “as they do not represent Muslims.”

According to him, terrorists often get more attention from the media than security agencies that strive to protect the nation from the evil machinations of such violent groups as Boko Haram.

He added, “Acts of terrorism are over-covered by the media while the activities of security agencies were under-covered. Terrorists strive to project the interests of  those they are acting for but we don’t know the interest Boko Haram  members are  fighting because they don’t represent Muslims.”

The Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority,  Alhaji Musa Maiyaki, on the occasion called for a cordial relationship between the media and security agencies.

Culled: Punchng

Posted by mosvin bami.

When you enter France, na French them go use greet you. Make you come stroll go Spain small, na Spanish them go use greet you. Just for that same border, my brother and sister, Holland no far and immediately you enter, naDutch language them go use welcome you. Ehen, if you come say make you travel go Asia, na them Jackie-chan language them go use greet you and them no dey shame to talk am. Even the ones weysabi English inside them like to denge pose with them language.

Make you come enter naija my country, na there tory change. From airport, the immigration officer wan dey blow big-big grammar wey no even dey dictionary. He wan show me say him go school but all him phonetics and syntax na him dey wrong pass. Why e no speak language wey e sabi?

Them say make I no argue this matter for the last conference wey I attend for London. Them say English na international language. Ok. I gree. Make we leave am as international language. When e reach time to do business with other people make we blow big grammar. That one no bad.As far as the big grammar helep my poor people. I go support am. Na for the conference I meet one woman, she sabi blow grammar. Na naija grammar queenology.She just dey rake for me. She begin scatter floor like whizkid say why me wey be phd student go dey defend that kind nonsense. I tell am say, I don tire to speak another man language. She nearly slap me. Na those kind people demdey call “mama miss road.”

And wait sef, why I no fit use pidgin English inside office interview for naija. Why person no fit just enter for office and oga begin to dey blast any Nigerian language to deliberate the office meeting. Ehnnn, I know say the language for naija plenty but werin do pidgin English? When you wan toast girl next time, try use pidgin English abeg. When she look you somehow, make you tell am say the English wey she want make you speak no be your papa language.

The movie industry for naija them don dey fight seriously to bring our naija languages on board. Them want make all the movies weydemdey create for we country they use Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. Sheyna that one go make the children change the way them dey speak. Werindem school dey do about that one. Film go contribute chikili thing inside the matter. All the new film sef, na so you go see TontoDikeh, Ramsey Noah and others dey blow the English like say na so them born them. Like say Prince Charly for England na their uncle. Abegi!

Na Professor AkachiAdimoraEzeigbo ,weydey for UNILAG, talk say na our language dey show the kind people we be. Na him deymake someone say, ehen, this person nanaija person. If na the matter be that, why e come bad to dey scatter the language anywhere we like.

For our music, them dey use that kind language and he dey jolly my body. That’s why e dey sweet to pakuromo, kukere and go gaga. E dey sweet. What if na English them use sing them song? How you and I go deysangele?

If matter must to clear, we must to proud of our language. Them say lizard wey fall from iroko tree and nobody dey around to hail, him go nod head by himself and talk say, and “I try.” Make we try. Make we proud.

Why must we trap ourselves in a colonial mentality? Chei, I don digress to oyinbo small. That na for the people wey think say e no good to dey speak vernacular English. I speak Nigerian vernacular! I dey speak am and I dey write am. Any body wey no like, make e go hug transformer.

Na Fela talk am, “kolo mentality, you bin say you be colonial man, them don release you now but you never release yourself.” Make you commot that chain weydey for your neck. That mentality go destroy you.

I must run now as I dey find all those my primary school teacher wey collect five-five naira for my hand anytime wey I speak pidgin English those days.

By Michael Irene

Anglia Ruskin University,

Posted by mosvin bami.

The Federal Government, yesterday, said that there was no alternative to the deregulation of the economy if Nigeria must achieve the Vision 20:2020 goal.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force on Fuel Subsidy Claims has said that N232 billion has been confirmed as the amount of fraudulent subsidy claims by oil marketers.
Speaking at the 18th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Vice-President Namadi Sambo said the Federal Government believed in deregulation and expected that it was the way the economy should go.
He said economic realities showed that anything besides deregulation was a bad economic policy and when the time comes, Nigerians would realise that there was no alternative to developing the economy than to deregulate.
In an address delivered on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan at the on-going Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Sambo said: “The theme of the summit, “Deregulation, Cost of Governance and Nigeria’s Economic Prospects” captures the essence of our Transformation Agenda. The goal is to unlock those critical sectors of the economy that will accelerate job and wealth creation in our country. In addition, the theme captures our commitment to good governance and efforts to fully realise our huge economic potentials.
“The task of nation building is a shared responsibility, requiring both the leadership and the governed to demonstrate integrity and accountability in the conduct and management of national affairs.  This is the guiding principle behind the determination of the administration to hold people accountable and ensure that business activities in both the public and private sectors are carried out responsibly in compliance with global best practices.
“To accomplish this objective, we started reforming various sectors of the economy, notably, oil and gas, agriculture, solid minerals, works, housing, and power immediately after coming into office. We are also placing emphasis on transparency and accountability in the oil and gas industry.
“The newly introduced process for the payment of subsidy on importation of refined petroleum products by marketers as well as the empowerment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to prosecute those that undermine the system, no matter how highly placed, clearly underline our determination.”
Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaking at the summit, disclosed that the Aig-Imoukhuede-led Presidential Task Force on verification of fuel subsidy claims had submitted its final report, with N232 billion ascertained as fraudulent subsidy claims by independent oil marketers.
She said: “The Presidential Task Force that verified over N1 trillion of subsidy claims, with very detailed work, off course there was the work done by the National Assembly but we went into it in details in order to determine which transaction has not been fraudulent.
“To do this, we needed forensic examiners, and  we took between 15 and 20 of them from PriceWaterHouse and Central Bank of Nigeria, and they have been working for more  than four months now. They did detailed, painstaking,  transaction-by-transaction verification of independent marketers claim of over N1 trillion.
“Last week, the work was submitted to Mr. President and of the amount verified, they have determined that N232 billion finally, you know they first came out initially with N370 billion, but now it has come down to N232 billion as claims that were substantiated to be fraudulent.
“Fifty marketers were involved, some of them have transactions that are clean but some are not clean. The report has been submitted. This has taken so much work, this has slowed down the pace at which we make payments. But it has also enabled us to put in place a series of steps. We have fired auditors who were not doing their jobs and we are putting in new ones with very strong letters of reference.
“We are taking care to make sure that before we pay, we check again and again to make sure the payments we are making for 2012 are not subjected to the problem of that of 2011. Yes, it has slowed down the pace of payment but it is because we are responding to what Nigerians want, though marketers who are not doing the right transactions are crying about it but we would not yield, government will not yield until we make sure we are doing the right thing.
“‘Now, of the N232 billion that have been put forward as ‘fraudulent’ claims, some of those marketers said that government owe them some money, we have now been able to vote N29 billion for that (to repay the loans). So instead of paying them, we are recovering what they owe us. And we look forward to recovering the balance of the total from them. Some of these people are being chased and prosecuted, and the EFCC and ICPC are still investigating them.”
Courtesy Vanguard

Posted by mosvin bami.

The explosion occurred on Monday morning.
The explosion that occurred in Kano on Monday morning caused injuries to three people, but no one died, the police have said.
The spokesperson of the Kano State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Magaji Majiya, said no life was lost after an explosive device went off early Monday near Kantin Kwari textile market.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Monday evening, Mr. Majiya said initial reports suggest that the IED was planted by the junction near the Islamic eid ground, adding that the device exploded before most of the traders resumed for business activities.
“The blast occurred around 8:45 this morning and most traders have not gone to the market yet,” he said. “Three persons were injured after the blast and they are receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Eye witnesses had earlier reported seeing at least two dead bodies being evacuated by emergency services. But the police spokesperson said those the witnesses saw were “injured not dead.”
The attack was carried out by men on motorcycles, witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES.

Posted by mosvin bami.

The rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would last eight weeks, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, has said.

The minister, who inspected the rehabilitation works being carried out by the two contractors, Messrs Julius Berger Plc, and Reynolds Construction Company Limited yesterday, said the cost of rehabilitating failed sections of the road was the same rate applied in 2010 in carrying out similar works on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

He said: “Our engineers are right on plan with the contractors.  If you are doing an emergency work, as it is in this case, what is important is that you have a contractor who is already deplored in that part of the country and in this case, Julius Berger Nig. Plc., that is working for us in Lagos at the Oshodi-Apapa expressway and the rate that was given to them in 2010 is the rate we are applying in rehabilitating section one of this expressway.”

The rate adopted for RCC in section two, he said was that of the Ilorin-Ogbomosho expressway rehabilitation, which the company used in 2010, saying it was a good deal for the government to use 2010 rate to do emergency work on the Lagos-Ibadan road in 2012.

After the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which he said was being done to make the road motorable so as to stop the daily loss of lives and properties, there would be a major reconstruction work.

He gave assurance that the road would be made free for traffic leaving Lagos, particularly during the yuletide.

“We are going to complete the Ibadan-bound section of the expressway before Christmas.”

Onolememen said in respect of the reconstruction of the road, “the designs and paper work are being finalised as well as the scope of work to be done. By the time the contract for the reconstruction work is put on paper and signed in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, we will be able to announce to Nigerians the full cost of the reconstruction.”

He restated that the government terminated the concession contract with Bi Courtney because the company did not perform.
“In every contract agreement, there is always an exit point for either the client or contractor.”

Posted by mosvin bami.

Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Christian Oboh

Ernest Chinwo

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said it has completed and inaugurated about 46 projects in different parts of Rivers State.

It said the projects were in line with its mandate to quicken the pace of development in the Niger Delta region.

The projects include roads, solar-powered water, classroom blocks, cottage hospital/comprehensive health centres and rural electrification.

Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Christian Oboh, who stated this during the inauguration of George-Ama internal roads in Okrika, said other projects were situated in various local government areas of the state.

Represented by the state representative on the board of the commission, Professor Ibitamuno Aminigo, Oboh said activities of the commission had been guided by President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

Oboh explained that the agency was placing emphasis on increasing the tempo of infrastructural development in the crude oil and gas rich region, saying the commission would complete all outstanding projects to erase the impression that it was not living up to expectations.

In Okrika Local Government Area, where the George-Ama internal roads were inaugurated, Oboh said: “It is a thing of joy for me because I know the value of this project to this community.

“The benefits are enormous for the fishermen who can now very easily access the markets with their daily takes.”

He further said the commission would continue to intervene in critical areas for people of the region and urged communities to protect projects in their domain.
The managing director also charged communities to embrace peace as it was the only way to attract more amenities from the interventionist agency.

Responding on behalf of the community, a community leader, Mr. James Kalipa, thanked the NDDC for the road project, describing it as a sign of good things to come.

“We say a big thank you to the NDDC for touching the lives of our people. We expect more projects in the future,” Kalipa said.

Posted by mosvin bami.

No fewer than 14 men die daily from prostate cancer in Nigeria, a    Consultant Urologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and a Lecturer, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Lagos Dr Emmanuel Ajibolajeje   disclosed this  in an interview with  LEADERSHIP    in    Lagos, yesterday.

  He noted that   most men report their cancer cases late when the symptoms had already manifested and   he   attributed the situation to ignorance.

Prostate cancer originates in the prostate gland, a male gland about the size of a walnut that is located in front of the rectum, behind the base of the penis, and under the bladder. 

According to him, people die unnecessarily, even when they are diagnosed early because there are not adequate facilities to treat them.

While noting that prostate cancer is not contagious, he identified its symptoms as the need to urinate often, especially at night; intense need to urinate (urgency) during   the day; difficulty in starting or stopping the urine flow; inability to urinate; weak, decreased or interrupted urine streaming, a sense of incompletely emptying the bladder; burning or pain during urination; blood in the urine or semen and painful ejaculation.

 “Prostate cancer, the second commonest cancer in men, kills 14 men in Nigeria every day. This is not acceptable because it can be prevented,” he lamented.

He disclosed   that  prostate cancer  usually  gives   no  early   signs ,  however,  when   the  person  already  has  the  early  stages  of it, prostate  cancer   can  show  signs  such  as urination problems-frequency, urgency, slow stream, incomplete emptying- can be related to prostate cancer  and  narrowing of the urethra.

He   lamented  the  dearth  of  facilities   saying  “India has over 120 comprehensive cancer centers and we don’t have even one centre  here  that has everything to take care of any kind of cancer  and   that can carry out world class research  in  Nigeria   even  after  50  years   of  Independence.”

 “We need something like this in our country, because apart from the fact that those that have money, can afford it and travel   out for treatment, what of those that cannot?

 “In Nigeria, cancer is like a death sentence that is why most deaths here are unnecessary; they are untimely   deaths.

 “When we had the Dana crash, we were all shouting, but each day after that, many   people are dying of cancer. Because, they are dying silently, we are not doing anything about it.”

He pointed out that the prevention should be through life style modification, screening and routine checkups, at least once a year for those men   who are 40 years   and above.

He   said that regular exercises, weight loss and imbibing the culture of health maintenance could reduce the risk by 50 per cent.

Posted by mosvin bami.