President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the death of Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, describing him as “a friend and ally.”
The President, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday condoled with the media fraternity, the Nda-Isaiah family, friends and associates of the deceased.
‘The country has lost a man of conviction, a resolute and dogged believer in a better Nigeria.
“He will be sorely missed. This is a massive fish gone out of the media ocean,” Buhari said of the pharmacist, renowned columnist, and one time presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that late Nda-Isaiah attended the Newspaper Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN) meeting held in Lagos on Tuesday where Daily Trust publisher, Kabir Yusuf, emerged new president of the association.
The deceased was alongside publisher of The Pilot, Prince Dannis Sami and Ray Ekpu, a past president of the association nominated without opposition as ex-officios of the NPAN.
NAN gathered that Nda-Isaiah, aged 58, died late Friday night after a brief illness.
Sylvanus Nsofor, Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, is dead.
The 85-year-old diplomat passed away on Thursday at a hospital in Maryland in the US.
A native of Imo state, Nsofor’s appointment in 2017 sparked off controversy owing to his age.
The senate rejected his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari, hinging its decision on the recommendation of the foreign affairs committee.
Monsurat Sunmonu, chairperson of the committee, had also said Nsofor did not perform well at the screening exercise.
Nsofor, a retired judge, failed to recite the national anthem when he appeared before the lawmakers.
In July, Buhari renewed the appointments of 12 non-career ambassadors. But he did not renew those of Nsofor and George Oguntade, Nigeria’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Nsofor was born on March 17, 1935. He was appointed a judge in 1977 and he spent 28 years in his legal career. He also taught law at the Holborn College of Law in London.
Hennessy Artistry, a platform renowned for its commitment to the promotion of urban culture and hip hop in Nigeria releases the cyphers for 2020.
This comes after the ground-breaking docuseries – “The Conversation” which chronicled the evolution of hip-hop in Nigeria anchored by Nigerian hip hop icons, MI and Vector tha viper.
Artists scheduled on the cyphers include Barrylane, CDQ, Falz, Jesse Jagz, MI, Payper Corleone, Phlow, ShowDemCamp, Teeto Ceemos, Vader the wildcard, and Vector.After the hugely successful docuseries, fans and hip-hop enthusiasts are excited to see MI and Vector feature together on a cypher for the very first time!
The cyphers will air on YouTube @HennessyNigeria from December 9th, and on Trace Naija, DSTV channel 326.
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland Gani Adams has advocated a four-level policing system if the country will win its war against insecurity.
Adams, who addressed a news conference at his Omole Phase II residence, warned that Nigeria’s structure and geographical spread makes it difficult for the current policing system to effectively tackle crime.
According to him, Nigeria should have federal, regional, state and local policing outfits.
He also warned that Nigeria might cease to exist in three years if the unitary system of government presently practised does not give way for true federalism.
He said: “We run a unitary system of government which cannot help Nigeria. Nigeria has to return to true federalism if it will develop. I fear this country might not survive the next three years if we don’t restructure.
“We should return to regional system of government where each region controls its resources and only donates to the Federal Government. Regions should control their electricity, rail system, water resources and security.
“Security is paramount for the regions to handle themselves. Amotekun is not enough to tackle insecurity because it is limited in numerical strength and functions. The funding is not even available to recruit at least 10,000 men for effectiveness. Oyo State has the highest number of Amotekun corps, but with its number of local governments, how can that number be enough for effectiveness?
“I also hail the Deputy Senate President Ovie-Omo Agege for saying nothing positive can come from constitutional review. His statement reiterates the fact that we have to continue agitating for true federalism instead of wasting our time sending memorandum to the parliament for constitutional amendment…”
Adams also debunked claims by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he was seeking reconciliation by all means.
Obasanjo had said Adams requested to visit his home twice but he rejected because they have different characters and personalties.
But Adams said he never asked to meet Obasanjo privately. “I have no reason to visit Obasanjo at home. I have never requested to meet him personally. We met at a meeting convened by Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and I attended the meeting because Pa Adebanjo insisted.
“He can say anything but he has no right to malign my character. Obasanjo is not a progressive and so we cannot have similar character. Ibasanjo is not a progressive element in and out of office and so he won’t like the character of any progressive.
“Because he seeks political space, he would always play the opposition if he is not allowed. I see no reason to visit him since he already maligned by character so I can’t see any reconciliation.”
Chadwick Boseman will be the one and only T’Challa.
At Disney’s Investor Day, the studio unveiled the premiere date for Black Panther 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Marvel’s Black Panther, which starred the late actor Chadwick Boseman, and revealed that franchise will not be recasting his role of T’Challah, the original Black Panther.
“I wanted to acknowledge the devastating loss of a dear friend and member of the Marvel Studios family,” said Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.
“Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally.
His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past.”
Black Panther 2 is set to hit theaters (and/or streaming platforms) on July 8, 2022. It’s being written and directed by Ryan Coogler, who helmed the first Black Panther, which went on to gross over $1 billion at the box office worldwide and earned Marvel Studios its first Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Boseman, who anchored the film as the central character, T’Challa, died of colon cancer this past summer at the age of 44. While there was some talk of potentially recasting the role with another actor, Marvel Studios has made the decision to honor the late actor by not replacing him in the sequel.
“To honor the legacy that Chad helped us build through his portrayal of the king of Wakanda, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.” Wakanda forever. Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa forever.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said former Nigeria president, Goodluck Jonathan, would be free to contest for the presidency in 2023 on its platform.
However, the party has insisted that the presidential ticket has not been zoned to any region of the country yet.
The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, stated this during a media parley on Thursday in Abuja.
Secondus revealed a committee has been set up to review the party’s performance in the 2019 general elections.
On whether former Jonathan would be brought to run on the platform of the party, Secondus said once the committee submits its report, those interested will be at liberty to throw their hats in the ring.
He said: “I stand by my position that the Governor Bala-led committee is still working, they are coming out with a report on why we lost and by the time they finish, we will take decisions and the decision is not for the National Working Committee but for the entirety of our party.
“I believe that whoever is interested in the 2023 election, including the former President, the chances are there, because the PDP is a party of all.
“Everybody will have that opportunity but in clear terms, we have not taken any decision to give anybody the ticket for now.”
Ejike Mbaka, spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN) and his staff allegedly beat up two BBC journalists and their driver and confiscated their mobile phones and media equipment on Wednesday.
According to BBC Igbo, the journalists—Chioma Obianinwa and Nnamdi Agbaelo—were at the Adoration camp to interview Mbaka when they were attacked.
According to Obianinwa, the attack happened after they have waited for the Catholic priest for three hours.
“We came to interview Father Mbaka in Adoration camp, but he told us to go and wait for him in his house, which is also in the camp.
“We waited for some hours before he came to see us. When he saw us, he started to show resentment, saying we had written bad news about him in the past.
“Father Mbaka then ordered his boys to take our cameras, cell phones and beat us,” BBC Igbo quoted Obianinwa as saying.
The attack might not be unconnected with an interview Reverend Father Ikedieze granted to BBC Igbo where he criticized Mbaka for involving in political issues, which he said was inappropriate, the BBC added.
The federal government has asked COVID-19 treatment centres across the country to prepare for reopening.
Some of the centres were shut after the country recorded a decline in cases.
However, there has been a surge in COVID-19 cases, with warning that there might be a second wave of the pandemic in the country.
Speaking at the briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Thursday, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said he had directed health workers to be on alert.
“We are seeing the increase in the number of confirmed covid19 cases in the last few days, which we have frequently alluded to in recent times. This rightly suggests that we may just be on the verge of a second wave of this pandemic. Last week, we recorded 1843 against 1,235 two weeks before that and 1,126 the week before that,” he said.
“In the past 24 hours, 474 new confirmed cases and 2 deaths were recorded, with an indication that this week’s figure will beat last week’s. As at today, we have crossed 70,000 mark with a total of 70,669 confirmed cases of which 65,242 have been treated and discharged. Sadly the number of deaths has now reached 1184 as against 1,167 two weeks before.
“Everyone of us has a role to play in the effort to prevent explosive spread of this infection in Nigeria. While we strive for the best, we must prepare for a possible second wave which we must ensure, does not get to be worse than what we have seen so far, judging from what we observe in other countries.
“The US, UK and other countries are going through very difficult times, and we do sympathize with them. To prepare ourselves, I have directed that all Isolation and Treatment Centres, which were hitherto closed due to reduced patient load, to be prepared for reopening and the staff complement put on alert.”
At least 16 travellers have been killed by unknown gunmen on Wednesday along Abuja-Kaduna expressway on their way back to Kano from a business trip.
The Guardian learnt that the 16, from Dambatta local government, were conveyed in a private vehicle and met their untimely death on the Abuja-Kaduna high way.
Governor Abdullah Umar Ganduje while reacting to the killing expressed shock at the gruesome murder of the business tycoon.
In a condolence message signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, Ganduje expressed devastation on the tragic development.
“We were shocked with the bad news of the death of 16 Dambatta indigenes on Abuja-Kaduna highway, who were travelling from Abuja to Kano, as a result of an attack from unidentified gunmen.
The news is devastating and frustrating. We commiserate with the families of the deceased, the people of Dambatta local government, and the people of Kano state.
“May Allah accept their martyrdom and may He punish all the perpetrators of this heinous act. There is nothing more shocking than this. We urge people to pray fervently for the reposed souls. And we pray that may Allah give their families the fortitude to bear the great loss.”
“On behalf of the government and people of Kano state, I am condoling with the families of the deceased and the people of Dambatta local government, over this tragedy. May Allah forgive all their wrongdoings and reward their good deeds,” he prayed.
Groups of activists and celebrities have demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari should hold Police officers accused of shooting EndSARS protesters accountable.
The activists, in an open letter to Buhari, also asked the Nigerian government to release jailed protesters, lift a ban on protests and allow an independent human rights monitor investigation into “the actions that led to the killings at Lekki Toll Gate.”
The open letter was organised by the co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Opal Tometi, 36, an American with Nigerian parents, and was signed by several activists and celebrities including climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Other signatories were actors Danny Glover and Kerry Washington, singer Alicia Keys, civil rights campaigner Angela Davis, US congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Nigerian-American rapper Jidenna and Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.
“We care about the issues of police brutality no matter where they’re occurring,” Tometi told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.
“The violence that people have been met with is intolerable,” she added.
The letter came over one month after security men shot at peaceful protesters in Lagos.
There are still claims and counter-claims about the number of people that died during the shooting and whether anyone died at all. Although, the Nigerian army have confirmed it was at the scene with live rounds, it said its personnel did not kill any protester.
Amnesty International has since tagged the episode a “fatal” one.
The shooting led to arson and looting of properties in the state. The government ordered a caution on any form of protest across the country and also ordered state governors to inaugurate judicial panels to investigate police brutality and the Lekki shooting.
There have been allegations of a witchhunt against popular supporters of the #EndSARS. While some have been unduly picked up by police, some others have had their bank accounts restricted to date.
