April 2019

True confession – my wife’s infidelity

If I had known, I would not have played the America Visa Lottery. The lottery I played had put an indelible scar in my heart, causing me pain daily as I move closer to my grave. I am now 64 years of age. My undoing was the Visa Lottery I played in 2007. Prior to this time, all was well, and going smoothly in our family. I had married my wife in 1985. We were blessed with 3 boys and a girl. The girl, Moyosore was our first child. She was born in 1986. The boys came there after in …

Onnoghen, Muhammad to know fate as NJC finishes report

The fate of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, and that of the Acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, will be known soon as the National Judicial Council (NJC) on Wednesday met in Abuja to decide on the report of the 5-man Committee set up to investigate petitions against them.

A statement by the Director of Information, NJC, Soji Oye said the body reconvened Wednesday to consider the Report of the Five-Man Committee constituted to investigate the allegations leveled against the two most senior judicial Officers.

According to the statement, while the council refrained from taking any decision …

Nollywood stars celebrate the Launch of Naija Sports Market

It was all glitz and glam in Lagos recently when Nigerian’s fast growing online outfit for sports items, “NAIJA SPORTS MARKET” officially made public, her entry into the business of sales of everything sports.
The event which had the best of Nollywood stars in attendance would stand as one of the best, having had the endorsement of quality individuals who came to give support to the budding entrepreneur and Canadian trained artist, Oswald Okojie, known as Ozzmanic who oversees the company.

“NAIJA SPORTS MARKET” which prides itself as the “Giant of sporting goods in Africa” deals on Board Games, Football,

Northern Nigeria will continue to remain poor – Dangote

African richest and Chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has said Northern Nigeria will continue to remain poor except states governments move to close the development gap between the north and the south.

Dangote, who spoke at the 4th edition of the Kaduna Investment Summit (KadInvest 4.0) in Kaduna on Wednesday, berated Northern governors for doing little to end poverty in the region.

According to him: “Nigeria is ranked at 157th out of 189 countries on the human development index. While the overall socio-economic condition in the country is a cause for concern, the regional disparities are …

Face-off between Olubadan, chiefs deepens

The face-off between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and his high chiefs deepened on Tuesday with the first class monarch ordering them to remove their “ illegal crowns.’’

The Olubadan said that he had no objection to the return of his high chiefs to the palace “ once they remove their illegal crowns.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high chiefs had on Monday accused the Olubadan of running a “ one-man-show’’ and disregarding the Olubadan-in-Council.

The chiefs also accused the monarch of appointing Mogajis (family heads) and Baales (village heads) without consulting the council.…

No plan to sell fuel above ₦145 per litre – IPMAN chairman

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State says the association has no plan to sell petrol above the government’s approved price of N145 per litre.

The association also called on Nigerians to ignore the threat made by the IPMAN chairman for Ore Depot, Shina Amoo.

The State IPMAN chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Kano on Tuesday.

Dan-Malam was reacting to a story credited to the IPMAN chairman for Ore Depot, Mr Shina Amoo, where he was quoted to have said that the association might start selling petrol above N145 …

ExxonMobil considers sale of oil stakes in Nigeria

Exxon Mobil may sell a suite of oil and gas fields it holds in Nigeria, and has commenced talks on the sales as it focuses on new developments in United States’. shale and Guyana, industry and banking sources told Reuters.

The potential disposals, THISDAY learnt yesterday are expected to include stakes in onshore and offshore fields and could raise up to $3 billion.

The development followed a statement from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it would no longer sign off any gas project without plans for gas flare out.

According to Reuters’ sources who were briefed on the …

Court: Adeleke unfit to run for Osun governor

PDP candidate ‘didn’t graduate’

We’ll appeal, says lawyer

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja yesterday voided the participation of  Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State.

Justice Othman  Musa, in a judgment, annulled Adeleke’s nomination as candidate of the PDP on the grounds that he offended Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The section states that candidates for governor must be educated up to secondary school level.

Justice Musa said while the court’s findings showed that Adeleke entered secondary school in 1976, …

Actress Beverly Naya defines beauty with ‘Skin’ documentary

Nollywood actress, Beverly Naya, has produced a documentary video titled ”Skin” sponsored by Skin Nivea and premiered in Lagos at the weekend.

Beverly explained that ”Skin” is a feature documentary which inspires the meaning of beauty in all shades of life. She added that colourism affects both women and men in Africa countries but it has negatively influenced the beauty standards associated with women’s ability to find success in the society.

According to her, the documentary video is not an anti-bleaching campaign, instead the documentary seeks to inspire self-acceptance and self-love. It is about empowerment, not judgement. She added.

Beverly …

FIRS targets ₦750bn from 55,000 millionaire tax defaulters

The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Tunde Fowler, Tuesday said the agency was targeting about N750 billion revenue from about 55,000 defaulting taxpayers.

He told the House of Representatives joint committees on Finance, Appropriations, Aids, Loans and Debt Management, Legislative Budget and Research and National Planning and Economic Development on the 2019/2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), during a budget defence session that the substitution led to recovery of N23.25 billion.

He restated that the 85 per cent of VAT collected goes to State Governments. Fowler said:“From the Bank Accounts substitution exercise,

₦1trn projects: ICPC to probe Senators, Reps

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday said senators and members of the House of Representatives who failed to execute constituency projects will be prosecuted.

Also, all companies engaged for the failed or abandoned projects will face trial.

But the commission, however, opposed to plea bargain by corrupt elements because the nation’s laws allow it.

Over N1trillion has been released by the Federal Government for constituency projects since 1999. The funds include the N200 billion by the administration of Jubril (President Muhammadu Buhari) from 2015 to 2017.

More than 2,345 senators and representatives have benefitted from

Shell pays Fed Govt, agencies $6.397b

Over $6.397 billion was paid to the Federal Government and its agencies in 2018 by Shell exploration and production companies in Nigeria, The Nation has learnt.

In the group are Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo).

The payment represents a 48 per cent increase over payments ($4.322 billion) by the companies.

The facts formed part of the four documents released yesterday by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Dutch Shell, Ben Van Beurden, to signal the firm’s renewed commitment to greater transparency.

The documents are “Shell Sustainability