Patience Jonathan begs EFCC: Let’s Settle

Former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan appears to be tired of fighting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in court and has asked for out-of-court settlement. In a January 30, 2018 letter, titled “Proposal for out-of-Court Settlement of all cases related to Dame (Mrs.) Ibifaka Patience Jonathan,” she told the EFCC of her intention to settle the matter. The letter, which was written by her counsel, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), is being considered by the EFCC. The letter said: “As senior counsel, representing Dame (Mrs.) Patience Jonathan (former First Lady)…

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South Sudan rebel’s spokesman gets death sentence

The South Sudan rebel’s spokesman, Mr. James Gatdet Dak, has been sentenced to death by hanging for treason. He was sentenced on Monday, a year after he was deported from Kenya despite having refugee status. “Death sentence by hanging,” Judge Ladu Armenio told Gatdet in the court in Juba, after he was found guilty of treason and other crimes against the state. The sentencing comes as peace talks between the government and rebels, taking place in neighbouring Ethiopia, stall amid mutual accusations of military assaults. Gatdet, a former journalist, was…

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Central bank injects $210 million into currency market

Nigeria’s central bank said on Monday it had injected $210 million into the interbank foreign exchange market, part of an effort to improve liquidity and alleviate the dollar shortages of the past few years. The bank said in a statement it had released $100 million earmarked for the wholesale market, $55 million for small businesses and individuals, and $55 million for certain dollar expenses such as school fees and medical bills. “The bank will continue to intervene in the interbank foreign exchange market, in line with its pledge to sustain…

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Chelsea back into top 4, with victory over West Broom

Two goals from Belgian wizard Eden Hazard and another by Victor Moses earned Chelsea a 3-0 home win over struggling West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League on Monday. It was a result which eased pressure on coach Antonio Conte following two defeats for the champions. The lively Hazard twisted his way goalwards in the 25th minute before playing a neat one-two with new signing Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman held off defenders to place the ball for the Belgium international to smack it past goalkeeper Ben Foster. Moses added…

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#BBNaija: Khloe wins Head of House task for week three

Big Brother “Naija” housemate Khloe has won the weekly immunity task popularly known as the Head of House task. Khloe came up against Ifu Ennada and Bambam, with the latter losing out in the first round with zero points. This meant Khloe and Ifu Ennada went head to head after they both scored three points and six points respectively in a game of ball throwing. Khloe officially became the latest boss of the house after she managed to grab more points than Ifu Ennada during the latter rounds of the…

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APC chieftain cautions President Buhari over cabals

President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to be wary of some power drunk politicians in and within his administration who assiduously to bring him down by all means. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and a Yola-based human right activist, Alhaji Suleiman Baba Jada, made the call in an interview with selected journalists in Yola on Monday. Alhaji Jada observed that President Muhammadu Buhari most be more aggressive especially in handling national issues, saying “the existence of pretenders and columnists are contributing unpredictably in creating confusion and…

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How good people elect bad leaders

It was George Jean Nathan (1882-1958) who said that “bad leaders are elected by good people who do not vote”. Born on Valentine’s Day in 1882, Nathan was an American drama critic and magazine editor. He was concerned about the degree of voter apathy in the 19th and 20th century America. Being confronted with (otherwise good) citizens who thumped their chests and celebrated the fact that they didn’t participate in voting a failed leader, he argued that not participating in an election was actually a vote for the wrong candidate.…

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Film on Tafawa Balewa’s book screens at Berlin Festival

A film adaptation of the book “Shehu Umaru” written by Sir Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s Prime Minister in the First Rebublic, has been listed for screening at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival in Germany. Dr Chidia Maduekwe, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja. Shehu Umaru is a story of African slavery written in 1966 by Balewa, but was published in 1971, and thereafter adapted for a film in 1976 by Adamu Halilu,…

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The Obamas unveil official portraits

The Obamas unveiled their official portraits at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery on Monday, with Barack joking about his ears and gray hair and praising his wife Michelle’s “hotness”. The Obamas selected artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald for the paintings, which take their place in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of presidential portraits. Wiley and Sherald were the first black artists ever commissioned to paint a president or first lady for the Smithsonian. For Obama’s portrait by Wiley, the former president is depicted sitting in a brown chair with…

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Snake didn’t swallow N36m in our office – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has debunked claims that snake swallowed N36 million in its office in Benue State, saying it was a case of criminality and fraud carried out by one of its staff. Stories have gone viral on the internet claiming that snake swallowed N36 million at JAMB office in Makurdi, Benue State. A statement issued by JAMB on Monday by its spokesperson, Franklin Benjamin, said it was a pure case of criminality and fraud by one of its staff and that there was no snake…

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