Sing National Anthem in Yoruba daily, Governor Ambode tells Lagos schools

By Igbagi Doris Ishioma

- The Lagos government is hell-bent on preserving the Yoruba culture in the state

- Students in schools in the state are expected to sing the National Anthem in Yoruba language daily

- The directive to public and privates school managers was given by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state on Tuesday, March 6, directed that students in public and private schools in the state should sing the National Anthem in Yoruba language daily, to preserve and promote the Yoruba culture.

The deputy governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, relayed the directive at a meeting with principals and head teachers of public schools in Lagos. She said that Yoruba language would also be made a compulsory subject for students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governor Ambode had signed the Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion Bill into Law on Thursday, February 8.

Adebule said that Wednesdays had been declared ‘Yoruba Speaking Day’ in schools, with all teaching and learning activities from assembly period to closing being done in Yoruba.

Governor Ambode has the backing of the Lagos state House of Assembly on the move. Photo credit: State House Alausa

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“Governor Ambode wants me to pass this message to you, that henceforth, Yoruba language be made compulsory in both private and public schools. The National Anthem must be sung in Yoruba on a daily basis too.

“The Egbe Akomolede has done the translation and we will send the copies of the Yoruba version to your schools by Monday so you can begin to teach the students. I have also met with the owners of private schools and we have relayed this directive to them.

”We are also considering translating the textbooks of other subjects into Yoruba language because I believe that when students are taught in their mother language, learning will be easy and their level of performance will improve.

”The state government is passionate about this law, so we do not lose our language, culture and heritage," she said.

Adebule said the Ministry of Education was doing an assessment to ascertain the number of Yoruba teachers that would be required to effectively teach the language in public schools. She appealed to the school managers to cooperate with the government to drive and ensure the effective implementation of the Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion Law.

Honourable Lanre Ogunyemi, chairman, Lagos state House of Assembly committee on education, said at the event that the development would be beneficial to the younger generation and generations unborn.

“In Finland, you must pass the Finnish language before you are offered admission into high institutions. Same is done in Germany, China and other developed countries. We need to adopt such to drive development and foster national unity. I beg you all to key into this law and make it work,"Ogunyemi said.

Reacting, Mamodu Braimoh, assistant secretary, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Lagos chapter, commended the state government for the development. He appealed to the government to ensure adequate training for Yoruba teachers as well as provide incentives to motivate them.

READ ALSO: FG announces scholarship awards for students in Nigerian tertiary institutions

Meanwhile, the Lagos government has begun the distribution of the 2018 land use charge demand notices for properties across the state.

NAIJ.com gathered that the distribution which commenced last week ought to have been carried out much earlier in the year, but was delayed by a review of the Land Use Charge Act by the state House of Assembly.

The review process entailed a repeal of the old law, public hearings and enactment of a replacement by the House of Assembly on January 28, before it was signed into law on Thursday, February 8.

Emulate Fayose on the convocation of security summit in Ondo over herdsmen-farmers' clash - Afenifere tells Akeredolu

By Ijeh Uchechukwu Faith

- Afenifere has urged Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state to convoke security summit in the state

- Akeredolu's counterpart in Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose recently held the summit in his state

- The group said there was a need for Akeredolu to call all the concerned groups for a peace meeting to design a lasting solution to the crisis

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday, March 8, called on the Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to find a lasting solution to the incessant attacks on farmers by suspected herdsmen in the state.

The Punch reports that the association also urged the governor to emulate the Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, by organising a security summit which should involve all the leaders of Miyetti Allah in the state and the country at large, farmers, representatives of the government, security agencies and other stakeholders.

READ ALSO: Kogi governor tackles Senate over derogatory comments NAIJ.comgathered that the group made the call at a meeting held at the residence of the leader of the association, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

The secretary general of the association, Seinde Arogbofa, who read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, said there was a need for Akeredolu to call all the concerned groups for a peace meeting to design a lasting solution to the crisis.

The organisation also lamented that the herdsmen allegedly carried out various criminal acts on the residents of the state on a daily basis.

The group said: “While we agree with our governor that ranches and not colonies are the ultimate solution for cattle trade, he must quickly put in place some measures to arrest the wave of kidnappings and armed robbery mainly perpetrated by these herders especially in the northern senatorial district of Ondo state.

“As done by the Ekiti state governor some two weeks ago, we strongly suggest he (Akeredolu) brings together all the relevant groups, the security personnel, the Obas, the senior citizens, Fulani leaders and other stakeholders to find a way out.”

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Afenifere admonished the state government and the community leaders to embark on aggressive voter registration and voter education campaign, particularly on the issue of electronic voting system which would be adopted for the general elections.

According to the group, it is imperative for the people to register for the election in order for them to be able to exercise their civic rights of electing their leaders.

The Afenifere also appealed to the governor to revive moribund industries established by the late former governor Adekunle Ajasin in order to create employment opportunities and improve the economy of the state.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that despite banning herdsmen from operating in Ekiti state, Governor Ayodele Fayose gave conditions where he will only support them. The governor who said he has no resentment for herdsmen said he would not support any attack on cattle herders in Ekiti state.

Fayose made this known in a series of tweet on his twitter page on Saturday, August 5.

FFK professes love for his family, flaunts his gorgeous wife and son in matching outfit

By Onyiwita Pretty Oghale

- Politician and lawyer, Femi Fan-Kayode recently showed off his gorgeous family on the gram

- Flaunting them, he shared a photo of his wife and son rocking matching outfits

- He professed his ever-lasting loving for them Family is everything for former minister, Femi Fani-Kayode who recently showed off his gorgeous wife and their adorable son, Aragorn on the gram. The mother and son duo looked stunning as they posed in matching outfits.

Shortly after divorce rumours between him and his wife, Precious surfaced the internet, he decided to shut the rumour mongers up with a cute photo of him being fed by his wife who is apparently a great cook.

Just recently, he professed his love for them, assuring whoever cares to know that all is well between himself and his wife.

My joy and my strength. Always and forever...ti amo" 

Naira retains Dollar and Euro strength, appreciates against Pound

By Onwelikwu Ndidi Joseph

- Naira continues to stay strong against the Dollar at parallel market

- The local currency, however, appreciated against Pound- The Nigerian currency traded at N362, N500 and N442 against the Dollar, Pound Sterling and Euro respectively

The Nigerian Naira on Tuesday, March 6, retained its strengthened rate at the parallel market against Dollar.

According to NAIJ.com findings, the local currency maintained the same rates of N362 against Dollar at the parallel market as it was yesterday, March 5, but appreciated against Pound.

Naira maintains strength against DollarPAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app

Meanwhile the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee’s long-awaited interest rate-cutting cycle risks being short-lived, if it starts at all, The Punch reports.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had said last month that the MPC might reduce its benchmark interest rate from the record-high of 14 per cent before July if inflation dropped closer to single digits.

But with fuel costs surging and government spending swelling before next year’s election, the CBN governor might struggle to reach that threshold at a time when the pace of price growth is still just over 15 per cent, Bloomberg reported on Monday, March 5.

NASU, SSANU, NAAT blame FG for prolonged strike, breaching agreement

By Onwelikwu Ndidi Joseph

- The non teaching staff of universities were said to be in a crucial meeting with the federal government in a closed-door meeting

- Members of the non academic unions were about storming out of the meeting because the ministers of labour and education were not at the venue at the set time when they were told the meeting has been rescheduled for a later time

- The unions accused the presidency of being responsible for the prolonged strike

The non teaching staff of universities who have been on strike since December 2017 were said to be in a high profile meeting with the federal government at the conference hall of the federal ministry of education in Abuja.

The crucial meeting which is on the instance of the federal government negotiation team led by the minister of labour and employment, Senator Chris Ngige, is expected to deliberate on the “no work, no pay” policy being contemplated by the government against the workers who are in strike. The unions have accused the federal government of being responsible for the prolonged strike, Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: Kano’s population its greatest asset - Governor Ganduje

Although the meeting was slated for 11am, as at 12.30pm the union members were agitating to storm out of the venue of the meeting since neither the two ministers of labour nor their counterparts in the ministry of education were present. However, a staff of the labour ministry pleaded with the union leaders that the meeting has been rescheduled for 1pm.

The non teaching staff on the platform of Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), said that the federal government breached the agreement the two parties signed in September 2017 that led to the suspension of the strike the unions embarked on.

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However, permanent secretaries in the two ministries were said to be seated waiting for the leader of the federal government negotiation team, Senator Chris Ngige. Present at the meeting were the Chairman of JAC and National President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, the National President of NASU, Chris Ani, the NAAT President, Suleiman Sani, the General Secretary of NASU, Peter Adeyemi as well as other executive members of the associations.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that the non-teaching staff members of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, under the Non- Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) on Monday, February 26, disrupted the mock examination of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in the school premises.

The mock examination was scheduled to hold within the OAU premises, being one of the centre approved for JAMB Computer Based Test (CBT), by the examination body.

Why we want agric, information ministers sacked - HURIWA tells Buhari to sanction cabinet members for allegedly lying

By Onwelikwu Ndidi Joseph

- The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria accuses Audu Ogbeh and Lai Mohammed of lying to Nigerians

- The group says Mohammed told citizens that 100 jets had been deployed by the Nigerian Air Force to rescue the abducted Dapchi girls

- It also says Thailand debunked a claim by Ogbeh that Nigeria was killing its rice business

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) is reportedly asking President Muhammadu Buhari to sack two of his cabinet members, the agric and rural development as well as the information ministers, Audu Ogbeh and Lai Mohammed, respectively.

The rights group accused them of lying to Nigerians over the progress reports of the current government.

In a statement reported by Premium Times, and signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and its media affairs director, Zainab Yusuf, the group reportedly said it was angry over the alleged false claim of the agric minister recently that Thailand accused Nigeria of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills following an alleged fall in rice importation from the country.

READ ALSO: Politicians flooding Nigeria with arms - Ekweremadu reveals as he becomes professor

HURIWA also accused the information minister of claiming on February 27, that 100 Nigerian Air Force aircrafts had been deployed in search of the missing Dapchi girls.

The report said the two claims were faulted by the Thailand ambassador to Nigeria and the Nigerian Air Force respectively.

The group said the ministers should be sacked for wilfully being economical with the truth in the discharge of their public functions thereby polluting the innocent minds of Nigerian children even as disseminating false information violates the criminal code Act of Nigeria.

The organisation said the spreading misinformation should be outrightly dismissed.

“We believe that Mr President must suspend the agriculture minister pending further timely investigation and to order his sack eventually if contrary opinions alleging that he lied are proven as truth.

“The Nigerian law book even has legal sanction for providing false information and since the law is not a respecter of status or a class, the minister(s) of agriculture and information must be made to face the consequences of wilful misinformation.

“The current president has claimed to be a man of honesty and so Nigerians are disappointed that his cabinet members have lied to Nigerians in not less than 10,000 times documented in media reports with the current controversy involving the agriculture and Information ministers being the most disgraceful acts of alleged betrayal of truth and public trust and amounts to criminal violation.

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“Section ‘125A subsection (1)’ of the criminal code, affirms that: Any individual who gives any information which he knows or believes to be false, to any person employed in the public service with the intention of causing such person to do or omit to do anything which such person ought not to do or ought not to omit to do if the true facts concerning the information given were known to such person; or (b) to exercise or use his lawful powers as a person employed in the public service to the injury or annoyance of any other person, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for one year,” the group said.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership cried out over the state of the nation saying 10 global organisations have confirmed the country is deteriorating.

PASTOR REMANDED IN PRISON...

By  Onwelikwu Ndidi Joseph

The founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, Uratta, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state, Pastor Chiedozie Anochima, has been arrested by security operatives in connection with the February 22, 2017, deadly robbery in a bank.

Reacall that few months ago, the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank in Owerri, the state capital, were attacked by armed robbers which left two policemen dead, with another injured, while one of the armed robbers was gunned down during the operation.

According to PUNCH newspaper, the police, who had since rounded up the fleeing members of the gang, said the arrest of the cleric during a church service last Sunday was a major breakthrough in the investigation of the crime.

While speaking to a correspondent, a police source said on Wednesday that the arrest of the last member of the gang, Chinonso Onwugbuchlam, one year after the incident, helped the police to arrest the pastor.

The source disclosed that it was in the course of interrogation that Onwugbuchlam, who was arrested by F-SARS operatives in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, mentioned the pastor’s name.

He said, “Onwugbuchulam named one Pastor Chiedozie Anochima as one of them. The pastor is 36 years old and he is the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, a church in Urratta, in the Owerri North LGA.”

Speaking further, the source revealed that Onwugbuchulam confessed that the pastor kept the gang’s rifles after operations and prayed for them for protection.

“Onwuegbuchulam led the F-SARS operatives to his church where we arrested him during a church service. The pastor was surprised to see us. We swooped on him and arrested him immediately. That was last Sunday,” the source said.

The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the arrest of the cleric was a big breakthrough for the command.

He said, “Yes, it is true. We have arrested the pastor and he is with us. You know that criminal investigation is like kerosene; it spreads. The more you investigate a crime, the more it spreads.

“We are working harder to make sure that all those involved in the bank robbery at Zenith Bank in 2017, do not escape justice. We will parade the pastor before newsmen very soon.”