Femi Fani Kayode has reacted to a trending video where he was caught on camera insulting his estranged wife.
Fani Kayode post on his Twitter handle
“@SaharaReporters posted a video which supposedly depicts me ABUSING my estranged wife.This is nothing but a propaganda video.There was NO physical abuse.I simply took the phone from her to stop her from recording me after catching her in bed with a married man days earlier “
Ugar Ukandi Odey, Jos
The Executive Chairman of Langtang North local government council, Honourable Joshua Ubangdoma has disclosed that the internal revenue generating potential of the Council has improved tremendously under his tenure.
Honourable Ubangdoma said he inherited poor internally generated revenue profile, and had to sit up and overhaul the system for strategy, efficiency, and higher productivity knowing that the monthly allocation from the federation account is paltry and cannot meet the development aspirations of the people.
The Executive Chairman observed that the new approach to revenue generation by the council has shown a significant improvement from what it used to be, and this has helped to augment what gets to the council monthly after all statutory deduction from the federal allocations.
Reflecting on Nigeria at 60, Honourable Ubangdoma commended Nigerians for coming this far, and specially saluted President Muhammadu Buhari as the President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Dr. Simon Bako Lalong.
Ubangdoma commended the President for the manner he steers the ship of State, particularly his dogged commitment to the fight against insecurity and his anti-corruption stand which has improved the global perception and rating of the country among the comity of nations.
Similarly, the Chairman also noted that the administration of Governor Simon Lalong in Plateau State has been fair and tolerant in its politics and style governance, and this is evidenced in swearing in an opposition party candidate as local government chairman after tribunal and Court affirmation of his electoral victory, and currently in the distribution of palliatives across the State.
He noted that as the Executive Chairman of Langtang North he has recorded uncommon successes in terms of development projects and Human capacity building, he also expressed the hope that his administration’s first anniversary this month would be memorable mainly for its landmark effects.
Honourable Ubangdoma who was the first Local Government Chairman to fumigate the Council area to foreclose the menance of Covid-19 said the success story of his administration so far is the outcome of focus, prudence, and the cooperation of the staff and good people of Langtang North local government area.
The subsidiary Operation HAIL STORM 2, currently being executed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has again recorded appreciable success in their resolve to forestall terrorists’ activities in the North East Zone.
According to a statement by Brigadier General Paul Enenche. Spokesperson of the operation, crews of Operation HAIL STORM 2 neutralized the Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHTs’) and destroyed their hideouts at Maima and Tusuye, settlements near Warshale and Tongule along the Dikwa-Rann axis of Borno State during air strikes executed on 1 October 2020.
This feat was achieved sequel to credible Human Intelligence reports as well as series of aerial surveillance missions, which indicated that the locations were being used as rendezvous points by the BHTs.
Accordingly, the ATF dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to engage the 2 locations.
The attack aircraft scored devastating hits in the target areas, destroying some structures and neutralizing several of the terrorists.
By Farooq A. Kperogi
Twitter: @farooqkperogi
A former minister called me a few days ago to say the focus of my columns on Muhammadu Buhari ignores my own 2018 disclosure that he is a captive of an irrecoverably degenerative mental decline that ensures that he doesn’t know what he says and does. “To criticize Buhari is to beat a carcass,” he said.
I see his point, but I disagree. It is the office, not necessarily the person, that is being criticized, although the person and the office converge. Anyway, the former minister said attention should be focused on the people who drive the policies of the regime, who write Buhari’s speeches, who babysit him.
He pointed out, for instance, that CBN governor Godwin Emefiele now almost singlehandedly steers the economic policies of the country without recourse to the presidency—or the presidential economic advisory council— because there is frankly no presidency. It’s just outright anarchy.
But, to get back to the subject matter of today’s column, who writes Buhari’s speeches? Why are the speeches often embarrassingly error-ridden, callous, shallow, cavalier, ignorant, and unpresidential? Buhari’s October 1 Independence Day Speech is perhaps the crowning encapsulation of his speech writers’ utter inner emptiness and cluelessness. I’ll come back to this point shortly.
I know that Mamman Daura and Education Minister Adamu Adamu wrote some Buhari’s signature speeches in his firm term. I know this because when I wrote a June 7, 2015 column in my now rested grammar column titled “A Grammatical and Rhetorical Analysis of President Buhari’s Inaugural Speech” where I both praised and called attention to the speech’s grammatical errors, I got a swift, defensive, ill-informed response from a “Mainasara” who used the majestic self-referential plural “we” in his response to me, which was published in the Sunday Trust of July 12, 2015.
Daura betrayed himself when he made reference to Dublin College Ireland as one of the guardians of the English language, which it isn’t, nor is there any. (He attended Dublin College!). I wrote a rejoinder to his rejoinder and shut him up.
A senior person in Daily Trust later confided in me that “Mainasara” was Mamman Daura’s pen name and that Daura took my criticism personally because he was one of the writers of the inaugural.
Adamu Adamu, who had been Buhari’s speech writer before he was elected in 2015, also contributed to the 2015 inauguration speech, particularly the Shakespearean references in the speech. (Adamu Adamu is a Shakespearean enthusiast and wordsmith who probably wrote Buhari’s famous “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody” line in the inaugural speech, which some people erroneously said was plagiarized.)
But I no longer see the rhetorical echoes of Adamu Adamu—or even Mamman Daura—in the recent speeches Buhari reads. Whatever disagreements I may have with the duo, I can’t help but concede that they are excellent writers. This is particularly true of Adamu Adamu, who is far and away one of Nigeria’s finest writers in the English language.
I don’t know who writes Buhari’s speeches now. Nor is it possible to tell because the tones and tenor of the speeches change dramatically from occasion to occasion, underscoring the chaos and anything-goes climate in the presidency.
But whoever the speech writers are, they are illiterate doofuses who have zero appreciation of the power of what we call the rhetorical presidency in communication studies, which I have defined in a forthcoming book chapter as the symbolic and discursive powers of the presidency to frame, reframe, define, and redefine the contours of national conversations and identity formulations and reformulations.
As I pointed out on social media on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day is supposed to be a solemn, august, introspective moment, and the speech of whoever claims to be president of the country should reflect the dignified seriousness of the moment. It should inspire hope for the future, enliven spirits, and renew faith in the country.
But what did we see? Buhari’s speech writers chose the moment to visit rhetorical violence on Nigerians, to rile people and foul their mood, to annihilate people’s loyalty in the country, to fertilize hopelessness and despair, and to inspire disabling anxieties about the immediate future.
For instance, during his speech Buhari signaled that he’d yet again hike the price of petrol (and plunge Nigerians into even deeper misery than they’re already in) by saying, “It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.” Which sane person writes that in an Independence Day Speech?
Well, it also makes no sense for the minimum wage in Saudi Arabia to be 3,000 riyals (which is equivalent to N305,149.30) while the minimum wage in Nigeria is a miserly N30,000, which hasn’t even been fully implemented in all states.
Nor does it make sense for Saudi Arabia to have generous social safety nets for its citizens while the vast majority of Nigerians are crushed by biting deprivation. Or that Saudis have access to affordable public transportation, while Nigerians don’t.
To compare the petrol prices of various countries with Nigeria and ignore the sky-high differences in minimum wages and standards of living is beyond cruel.
In any case, if the government claims it has fully “deregulated” the petrol industry, what business does it have again talking about the prices of petrol? In a deregulated economy, the government has no business fixing prices. That’s the prerogative of the private sector.
You are either deregulating or you are not. There is no in-between. Deregulation means freedom from government regulations. Yet, the government fixes the price of petrol. That’s insane. In a deregulated petrol price regime, the first government agency that should be disbanded outright is the fraudulent Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).
I live in the United States where petrol prices are truly deregulated. Different states have different price regimes. In fact, in the same city, different gas stations have different prices. And prices fluctuate from time to time. Prices have been extremely low these past few months because of the slum in global oil prices. Ironically, government-engineered price hikes in Nigeria coincide with a time when prices are low everywhere else in the world.
But, as I’ve pointed out before, cruelty is now Buhari’s official governing philosophy. Denying Nigerians the expectation of relatively cheaper petrol prices is like asking people to hold cream on their hands while their faces and bodies are dry. That’s cruelty. Most Nigerians would be at peace with high petrol prices if their country doesn’t produce oil.
A wealthy parent who starves his children and justifies his cruelty by pointing to the starvation of the children of his poor neighbors is an irresponsible parent who doesn’t deserve his children.
I think one error people keep making, including the former minister who spoke with me, is to forget that even before his dementia-fueled alienation from his government, Buhari had notoriety for sadism.
In a response to a previous column, for instance, a Katsina man wrote that Buhari’s nickname as a youngster was “Danliti mugu,” meaning “Danliti the sadist.”
Another said most people in the Northwest have internalized the fact of Buhari’s sadism by coining the expression “Da sauran aiki; Buhari yaga mai rake da iPhone.” Literally: “There’s still more to be done; Buhari saw a sugarcane hawker with an iPhone!”
In other words, the appearance of even a glimmer of prosperity in people activates Buhari’s sadistic instincts. So his government reflects his person, and his speech writers probably know this.
I wish you I could say, “Happy Independence Day” to Nigerians, but that would be heartless. There was nothing to make a song and dance about an Independence Day that was ruined by Buhari’s sadism. Read more at
The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has confirmed the appointment of Ojo Amos Olatunde as the substantive clerk of the legislative arm of government.
Olatunde assumed office in July after the commission queried Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the former clerk, for refusing to proceed on retirement after 35 years in service.
Sani-Omolori had argued that the eighth assembly had approved an extension of his tenure.
The conditions of service of the staff had been amended by the previous assembly, and the retirement age had been increased to 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service.
However, Olatunde was appointed as acting clerk.
In a statement on Friday, Ahmed Amshi, chairman of the commission, said Ojo’s appointment was confirmed at a meeting held on Wednesday.
“The National Assembly Service Commission at its 506th Meeting held on Wednesday 30th September, 2020, approved the confirmation of appointments of top management staff of the national assembly service with effect from 30th September, 2020,” Amshi said.
“The commission had on 17th and 20th July, 2020, appointed Mr. Ojo and the other management staff to their different positions on acting capacity.”
The commission also confirmed Bala Yabani as deputy clerk of the national assembly; Ibrahim El-Ladan as senate clerk, and Francis Akubueze as clerk of the house of representatives.
Others confirmed are: Yusuf Danbatta as secretary to the commission; Orunwase Osaze as secretary of human development; Ademola Adebanjo as secretary, legal services, and Ramatu Ahmed as secretary, human resources and staff development.
By Williams Anuku Abuja
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu on Friday, gave directive that schools in the country can now resume normal academic activities by October 12th 2020.
The directive was also extended to public and private tertiary institutions, even though the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU in public universities have been adamant to resume owing to differences in the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System IPPIS.
Making the announcement on Friday, in his office, Adamu explained that he had taken pains to consult with stakeholders in the sector, some of which included the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Provost of Colleges of Education, Rectors of Polytechnics, Vice Chancellors of Universities, State Governors among other development partners.
He said he was skeptical to order the reopening of schools even though he was also under intense pressure to do so.
According to him, ‘I had indicated at the Wednesday 8th July, 2020 Federal Executive Council meeting that until the curve of infection rate of Covid-19 is flattened and adequate preparations put in place, it will be unsafe to reopen schools”.
He said consequent upon these consultations, schools for exit classes in the 104 Unity Colleges were directed to resume and sit for their examination and gladly no single case of Covid-19 infection was reported.
His words, “After due consultation with the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 ,we have decided that all our 104 Unity Colleges should reopen on the 12th of October 12th, 2020.
” State and Private School owners will work out the modalities for the re-opening of schools under their purview”.
With the latest instruction from the government, school owners are expected to ensure social distancing procedures, develop and display at schools, simple context specific reference protocols on day to day actions and conduct risk assessment with a view to understanding the gaps in the system that can increase the risk of transmission.
The Minister emphasized that there should be safety and hygiene procedures in all stages and phases of the school reopening process which will promote behaviours that will reduce spread.
The resumption formalities is also expected to conform with the establishment of a staff/students committee for regular surveillance ,monitoring and enforcement of COVID 19 guidelines, including regular temperature checks for all visitors coming into the schools, using infrared thermometers.
The Minister however warned that any school owner that does not comply with the guidelines and outbreak occurs in such institution owing to negligence ,risks closure.
“Let me warn that any school owner that does not comply with these guidelines and an outbreak occurs in the school due to negligence, risks closure. Be vigilant, strict and rigid in the implementation of Covid-19 protocols for the safety of our children and ourselves as we reopen schools.
“Nothing should be taken for granted, let me use this opportunity to thank and appreciate the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and other stakeholders for the various roles they have played which have brought us this far,”he stated.
Recall that while the emergence of Covid-19 infections destabilized the world in early March 2020, governments all over the globe were compelled to impose drastic measures to curb the spread, a development that also resulted in academic activities grounded.
However, while researches for vaccines are ongoing in advanced climes, countries are adopting cautious mechanism to return to normalcy.
By Williams Anuku Abuja
The Federal Government has directed all educational institutions in Nigeria to resume academic activities by October 12th,2020.
The directive also includes tertiary institutions in the country.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu made the announcement on Friday in his office.
Recall that educational institutions in Nigeria had been under lockdown following the Coronavirus pandemic that plagued the country since March this year.
More details later…
Judiciary watchdog, Access to Justice, says it has reasons to believe that the President, Major General Muhamadu Buhari (retd.), is ethnically manipulating the appointment of Supreme Court justices.
The group, in a statement on Thursday, pointed out that while it took Buhari about 11 months to send to the Senate for confirmation the first list of justices recommended to him by the National Judicial Council, the second list sent by the NJC took him only two weeks to send to the upper legislative chamber.
A2Justice noted that the first list had Justices Adamu Jauro, Emmanuel Agim, Samuel Oseji and Helen Ogunwumiju; while the second list had the names of Justices Lawal Garba, Addu Aboki, I. M. Saulawa and Tijjani Abubakar.
“The Presidency has offered no explanations whatever for what is a huge and remarkable contrast in the pace with which it acted on the recommendations of the NJC with respect to both sets of nominations,” A2Justice said in its statement, titled, ‘Appointment of Justices of the Supreme Court: Buhari’s antics sets alarm off on the future of the Nigerian judiciary’.
In the statement signed by its Convener, Joseph Otteh, and Project Director, ‘Deji Ajare, A2Justice said it observed that Buhari waited for the second list before he sent the first, and noted in his letter to the Senate that the confirmation would be “according to their ranking of seniority at the Court of Appeal.”
2Justice said Buhari’s “antics speak also to blackmail; the President tells the Judiciary that if his favoured names are not submitted for appointment, no other persons recommended to him by the NJC will be appointed into the Supreme Court. And the judiciary apparently got the message!”
The group said, “The impression all of this creates is that the President was set on manipulating how the Supreme Court is configured, politically and ethnically, now and for the near future; he wanted to determine how seniority amongst the justices of the Supreme Court is ordered as well as which justices of the court can be expected to succeed to the highest judicial office as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“The President’s letter to the Senate makes specific mention of the confirmation being ‘according to their ranking of seniority at the Court of Appeal’.
“The conduct of the entire process leads to the conclusion that the Presidency had withheld from seeking the confirmation of, and making the appointments of the four justices, whose names were on the first set of recommendations from the NJC, simply because it was targeting the inclusion of further names for appointment to the Supreme Court – names that were not included in the first list.
“Furthermore, that the President was willing to wait out the occurrence of that event as well as ensure that its targets did not lose their comparable rankings with earlier nominated persons notwithstanding that the Supreme Court was almost collapsing with overbearing workloads due to its lean workforce.
“The President has also created unpalatable public suspicion about his motives for delaying the Supreme Court appointments, and, in fact, some sections of the public have alleged there is a quid pro quo motive involved in it.
“The Presidency’s interference with appointments into the Supreme Court further undermines the integrity and independence of the court, and politicises membership of a court that ought to be a neutral, impartial, non-partisan and non-political institution.”
The group expressed the concern that Buhari’s action would diminish the stature of the Supreme Court, “create suspicions about the independence of the Supreme Court justices and could very well kindle in-fighting and jostling within the court itself.”
By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo on Tuesday reiterated the determination of the state government to host
international trade fair in Lokoja this year.
The information and communication Commissioner who is the Chairman of the Trade fair planing Committee disclosed that the state is set to partner With Kogi Chambers Of Commerce (KOSCCIMA) towards hosting the maiden International Trade fair, in Lokoja.
He pointed out that the international trade and business events Scheduled for the first week of November 2020 is being organized to show case and promote the aboundant Commercial Resources in the state.
The Commissioner said the state government has commenced preparation noting that the event is ripe for the State and it would go a long way in promoting the state economy in a new light by attracting investors to the state.
Fanwo while receiving the officials of Kogi State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KOSCCIMA) led by the Deputy President I, Abdullahi Ibrahim Victor, assured the body of the support of his ministry and that of the State government.
He said the strength of Kogi State is not limited to mineral resources and geographical location alone, but also in innovation, which also needed marketing and exposures.
Fanwo stressed “the fair is timely now that all organizations and government are working hard to revive economic hardships caused by Covid-19, the Information and Communications Ministry will in few days launch the Kogi State Business Directory Inventory.”
The Director General of The Graphics Newspaper, Mr. Dayo Thomas in his speech emphasized on the importance of broadcasting and marketing for such trade fair.
The state president of the Chamber. Mr Victor Abdul while presenting the proposal to partner with Kogi State Newspaper Corporation (The Graphics Newspaper) to launch and covene the maiden Made In Kogi Trade Fair, 2020 said all the arrangements about the fair have been made and now awaiting the state government’s approval and participation.
He said “The World-class Trade fare is in partnership with Kogi State, The Graphics newspaper and the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mine And Agriculture (KOSCCIMA).”
After more than three decades of delay, President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday inaugurated the 326 KM Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line for commercial operation as well as the ancillary facilities yard, at the recently named Goodluck Jonathan Railway Complex in Agbor (Owa-Oyibu), Delta State.
At the virtual opening of the rail line linking Itakpe to Warri, President Buhari directed the Federal Ministry of Transportation to link all the nation’s ports of origin and destination – Apapa, Tin Can, Warri, Onne, Calabar Ports- to the rail network in order to significantly improve overall transportation and economic capacities.
The President declared that his administration recognized the importance of the railway mode of transportation as a vital backbone to support industrialization and economic development.
”Accordingly, I have approved the prioritization of viable railway routes for either new rail lines or the reconstruction and rehabilitation of some, to achieve effective and efficient train services supporting the country’s trade and commerce.
”The Railway Infrastructure that I have the honor to commission today is the rail line from Itakpe via the steel town complex of Ajaokuta to Warri and is an important link for the country’s economy as the central rail line.
”This Government has also approved to link this line further from Itakpe to Abuja, thereby, connecting the Northern Zone of the country and also extending southwards to link the Warri Ports,” he said.
The President expressed confidence that the project, which serves as a vital link of South-South geopolitical zones of the country to the Northern zones, would be completed during the tenure of this administration.
”It will link people across the cultural divides and expand the frontier of trade and commerce, which will lead to better standards of living for our citizens,” he said.
President Buhari recalled that to further give recognition to Nigerian sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves at nation-building and development, 11 railway stations and railway village were named after some deserving citizens.
He listed them as follows: Adamu Attah Station, Itakpe; Abubakar Olusola Saraki Station, Ajaokuta; Augustus Aikhomu Station, Itogbo; George Innih Station, Agenebode; Anthony Enahoro Station, Uromi; Tom Ikimi Station, Ekehen and Samuel Ogbemudia Station, Igbanke.
Others are Goodluck Jonathan Railway Complex, Agbor, Owa-Oyibu; David Ejoor Station, Abraka; Michael Ibru Station, Opara; Alfred Rewane Station, Ujevwu; and Michael Akhigbe Railway Village, Agbor
The President enjoined all Nigerians in the transportation industry, especially the railway sub-sector, to continue to support the Government in its stride to achieve other railway infrastructure projects.
He also enlisted the support of all at realizing this milestone of a functional and full-fledged central railway, after more than 30 years during which the project has suffered several setbacks and false starts.
”I implore those who work on this line to uphold maintenance and safety culture necessary for long-lasting service in this difficult terrain.
”By the same token, I urge other sectors who will be primary beneficiaries of this transportation backbone, including, the iron and steel sector, stakeholders in agricultural and mining sectors on this corridor, as well as the host communities to protect and sustain this infrastructure and maximize the benefits that could be derived from it and which is readily available at their doorsteps.
”This project will increase the volume of their trade and kickstart and resuscitate the iron and steel complexes.
”All these, I hope will improve our industrial potentials and capacities as well as boost employment,’’ he said.
President Buhari said projections indicate that the commencement of operation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail line will account for close to one million passengers annually and also unleash approximately 3.5 million tonnes capacity of freight annually that will service all off-takers on the corridor and beyond.
Congratulating the Minister of Transportation Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and his team on successfully completing the project, the President recognized the host communities on this corridor for their patience during the long wait of over 30 years for the realization of the project.
He also commended the host communities for their cooperation during the completion of works by the Federal Government.
He assured Nigerians that his administration would continue, within available resources, to judiciously connect commercial and industrial hubs to boost trade, generate wealth, and create employment.
In his remarks, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa commended President Buhari’s bi-partisan approach to governance, saying ‘‘it is a thing of pride and joy that this rail line was completed under your watch.’’
”Deltans are excited that this day has come,’’ he said, adding that the Ika nation is glad of the recognition accorded former President Goodluck Jonathan, in naming the railway complex in Agbor after him.
Okowa urged the private sector to take advantage of the historic corridor by establishing investments that will create jobs for locals, curb youth restiveness, and stem the tide of criminality.
”It is imperative that the Federal Government in collaboration with the States provide adequate security cover for this rail line corridor,” he said.
In his remarks, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki congratulated the President on the feat of completing the project, saying it is quite fortuitous that few days to the country’s 60th independence celebration, the President has achieved the completion of this critical infrastructure.
”For us in Edo State, we are excited that we have a few stops that have been completed and we are going to be working with you to utilize this infrastructure,” he said.
The Edo Governor appealed to the minister of transportation to extend the rail line to the industrial park in Benin City to facilitate the movement of goods to the northern part of the country.
In his remarks, Minister Amaechi said the project was fully funded by the Nigerian government, adding that 8 of the 10 stations are in the Niger-Delta/ South-South region of the country.
”There is no loan on this project, it was funded from the budget and I had the directive of the President to go and revive it and complete it as soon as possible,’’ he said.
According to the Transportation Minister, the project started under the military era in 1987 but ‘‘underwent protracted hiccups, prolonged abandonment, and massive vandalization,’’ before it was resuscitated by the Buhari administration.