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I remember how Dr Farooq Kperogi, presently an Assistant Professor in Journalism and Emerging Citizen Media at Kennesaw State University, USA, had written about people, especially Nigerians, who were doing well in their countries, but ended up pauperized in America, and other Western countries when they relocated there simply because the latter society couldn’t find them worthy of employment commensurate with their education and experience. It seems that at best, you can only use a Nigerian degree to get admitted into universities to earn further education in the West but not for the purpose of finding employment, especially academic ones, with those degrees. My father’s friend, with whom I have conversed for more than 10 years now, who left Nigeria for America, told me that although he had obtained a doctorate from a Nigerian university, and despite being an academic all his working life in Nigeria, he couldn’t find an academic job in America because his doctorate...

The new Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi has moved into seclusion at a shrine known as Ilofi in Ile-Ife, Osun State and he will spend 21 days at the shrine as the major prerequisite for his coronation. At the Ilofi shrine, Ogunwusi would be initiated into different cults, taken through the rudiments of his duties as the Ooni of Ife after performing series of traditional rites at the shrine. Ilofi is located at Iremo in the ancient city and it is about a seven-minute drive from the palace of Ooni of Ife.  Daily Trust learnt that Ogunwusi would not be allowed to see his family members until the completion of the rites in the next 21 days. The coronation of the Ooni-elect would take place after the traditional rites at Ilofi after which the new monarch would be crowned as the paramount ruler of Ile-Ife and assume the title of Ojaja II.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says naira devaluation is not an appropriate option under the current economic realities in the country. According to Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is opposed to devaluation because it offers no solutions to the nation’s economy. The vice president spoke at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday while receiving Italian and Canadian ambassadors, Fulvio Rustico and Perry John Calderwood respectively. He said: “I don’t agree on devaluation and it is not that I am doctrinaire about it. In the first place, it is not a solution--we are not exporting significantly. And the way things are, devaluation will not help the local economy. What we need to do is to start spending more on the economy and then things will ease up a bit.” The vice president noted that the issues around the economy are no exact sciences, saying that the important thing is to be reasonably flexible in dealing with them. He said the current f...

The newly appointed chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu yesterday said he would consolidate on the successes recorded by his predecessor, Professor Attahiru Jega. “I want to assure the distinguished Senators and Nigerians that under my watch no election will be won and lost at the INEC headquarters or at the Commission’s offices in states, “ Yakubu said when he appeared before the Senate for confirmation. Yakubu was later confirmed by the Senate alongside five Commissioners of the Commission. According to him, “the success of any election depends on the ability of the Commission to organise, arrange elections properly and in advance. But in this country, we have this culture of last minute and rush.” On electronic voting, he said: “It is desirable and inevitable. If you look at the trajectory from the last 10 years, the voters register comes in an electronic form. Initially, it was just a register, then photographs were...

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, expunged (removed) some paragraphs of the petition that led to the annulment of the April 11  governorship election that brought Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to power. In a judgment it delivered, a three-man panel of Justices of the Appeal Court headed by Justice Datti Yahaya, struck out portions of the petition alleging that security agents were used to rig the election in favour of Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The decision of the appellate court followed an interlocutory appeal that was lodged before it by the APC and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside. Both APC and Peterside had gone before the court to challenge the ruling of the previous chairman of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal panel, Justice Muazu Pindiga, which deleted paragraphs of the petition containing criminal allegations  against unnamed security operatives.While upholding the decisi...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has described today’s confirmation of the immediate past Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a Minister by the Senate as a victory over the forces of darkness. “These dark forces as represented by Caretaker Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, went to absurd lengths in their plot to stop Amaechi from becoming a Minister but Almighty God has used President Muhammadu Buhari and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to scatter their evil plans,” Rivers APC said in the statement signed by the Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya and issued Thursday in the State capital, Port Harcourt.

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had said no extension would be made while non-registered bank customers would be barred from accessing their money or any transaction in their account after tomorrow. About 26 million bank customers would be affected by the shut-out. An official of the apex bank said yesterday that the registration window would still be opened after tomorrow, but unregistered customers would not be allowed access to their accounts. The official, who claimed that the exact figures of registered bank customers would not be ready until next week, however lamented that “less than half of total bank customers have been captured as at Monday this week. “Field reports show that there has been increased surge in the number of registrations per day since last week, but it is clear that we may not exceed 50 percent by the deadline.” Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Jibril Aku, had said last month that bank customers who fail to meet the October 31 deadline to en...

Saraki knows fate at A-Court today: The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, will today, deliver judgment in the appeal seeking to quash the 13-count criminal charge pending against the Senate President, Dr. Olubukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The appellate court had earlier adjourned its verdict on the matter indefinitely, a situation that forced the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to defer hearing on the case against Saraki till November 5, to aw ait the outcome of the appeal. The tribunal took the decision to suspend full-blown hearing on the criminal case after the Justice Moore Adumein panel of the appeal court, on October 21, postponed its judgement without adducing any reason. Now that Saraki has danced to the tune of the president by confirming Amaechi in a divided house, his case will be dismissed today i guess. Politics, a field-less football game.

Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has announced with executive fiat, the automatic classification of all paramount rulers in the state with monthly stipends to enable them administer their communities  effectively.Dickson, who made the announcement yesterday during an interactive meeting with paramount rulers from all the communities in the state, explained that the gesture was borne out of his appreciation of the contributions royal fathers made towards the development of the state.According to him, the state Ministry of Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs and other relevant government agencies would work out modalities  for the monthly entitlements and responsibilities of the traditional rulers, under the supervision of the deputy governor. According to him, “On the issue of recognition, I want to let you know that this government appreciates all you have been doing to support us. Actually, I was waiting to surprise you with the passage an...

The ancient city of  Ile Ife stood still for several hours yesterday, as the Ooni-designate Prince Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi made a triumphal entry into the town for the first time after been named the 51st  Ooni of Ife by the Osun State government. His arrival in the town signified the commencement of his installation rites in Ilofi where he will spend the next 21 days. Ife erupted in wild jubilations as Prince Ogunwusi, entered the town in a motorcade of about 100 vehicles and rode in Bugatti 2015 model car. Commercial activities in the ancient town were also grounded as shops and commercial banks were closed to customers. The new Ooni who was decked in white lace material with purple cap and beads, continuously acknowledged cheers from the excited crowd, who had trooped out as early as 7am to catch a glimpse of him.The new Ooni, who was received at Ajebanbele, Ife toll gate of Ife/Ibadan expressway made it to the venue where ceremonial formal hand over by his family t...

The people of Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State can now heave a sigh of relief following the removal of the 47 suspected members of Boko Haram brought into the medium security prison located in the town June this year. They were removed on Tuesday night to an unknown destination amidst tight security. A very reliable source confirmed that the detainees have left the state to the delight of the people residing near the Ekwulobia Prisons. It could not be ascertained yesterday where they were taken but according to our source, ‘definitely they have been taken out of Anambra State.’ There were about 134 inmates at the Ekwulobia prison before the 47 Boko Haram prisoners were brought in the dead of the night of Sunday, June 28, 2015 amidst tight security. It would be recalled that protests by traders in all the major towns in Anambra State trailed the presence of the Boko Haram suspects soon after they were brought into the state, although calm eventually retu...