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Unemployment: Look beyond white-collar jobs, marketing coy urges youths
By Our Reporter
A multi-level marketing and manufacturing company, Norland Nigeria, has advised unemployed youths in Nigeria not be fixated on white-collar jobs, but explore other means to make a living.
Mrs Anthonia Ibekwe, Co-founder of the organisation, gave the advice on Sunday in Lagos while speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of the Norland’s 2nd anniversary celebration and awards.
Ibekwe said that the number of formal jobs was shrinking in the country, urging youths to explore many opportunities outside the formal settings to be engaged and lead productive lives.
”Many youths are unemployed today, because they believe they must work in offices, and so they are searching endlessly for white-collar jobs.
”’There is nothing wrong in looking for jobs in offices, but the reality is that the jobs are no more there.
”Our youths should explore many opportunities outside the formal setting, instead of remaining unemployed, looking for what is not sure,” she said.
The Norland co-founder said the organisation had touched the lives of many in various ways since it came to the country two years ago.
Ibekwe said the company, through its health and lifestyle products, had improved the wellbeing and living standard of many Nigerians.
She said that many distributors of the company’s multi-marketing network had been impacted and empowered through generous rewards.
”Norland is a registered multi-level marketing and manufacturing company that has come to empower Nigerians and promote their health and wellbeing.
”We are encouraging more Nigerians to key into our products and multi-level marketing network as we are for health, wellbeing and prosperity,” she said.
Ibekwe said that the anniversary and awards was to mark the ”phenomenal strides” of Norland in just two years in the country and reward distributors.
Also, Mrs Amaka Success, another Co-founder of Norland Nigeria, urged youths to be focussed and be determined to actualise their life goals.
Success said that the company had empowered many of its distributors across the country .
”I don’t think lack of education and others should be barrier to one’s quest for success.
”What matters is determination and hardwork. We have empowered many of our distributors of different classes and backgrounds.
“We are here for wellbeing and prosperity; we don’t see barriers,” she said.
Success said that achievements the company had recorded were as a result of the confidence Nigerians reposed in it, calling for more support for the organisation.
Also, Mr Kenny Chen, Vice-President, Norland Africa, said that the company was present in 20 African countries with two offices in Nigeria.
Chen explained that the company was not only involved in multi-level marketing, but in the production of lifestyle and health products like herbal tea, pants liners and others.
He said Nigeria was one of the biggest markets of Norland and that the company had recorded great strides since it came into the country.
In her remarks, Mrs Asi Emmanuel, a top distributor of the company’s products, said she had made great fortunes marketing Norland’s products.
No fewer than 40 SUVs were presented to top distributors by the company.
Some other distributors also went home with items such as LED TVs, refrigerators among others as rewards for high performance. (NAN)
October 14, 2019
Aisha Buhari Returns to Nigeria After Holiday in UK

Williams Anuku Abuja
Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari returned back to Nigeria Sunday morning after what her media aide, Suleiman Haruna, described as “a long holiday in the UK.”
Haruna who announced her return said she arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4.30am via a British Airways flight.
Speaking to reporters on arrival, Mrs. Buhari said she was happy to be home after a well-deserved rest, the statement said.
The First Lady also confirmed that she was fully rejuvenated to continue the work of improving the health and well-being of women, children and other vulnerable Nigerians.
Aisha according to Haruna, “she used the opportunity to thank her husband, family and well-wishers for their support and encouragement.”
On hand to receive her were wives of present and former and governors and many associates, Aisha’s media aide said.
Aisha returned two days after social media reports of President Buhari’s plan to take a serving minister as his second wife on Friday turned out as a monumental hoax.
Haruna’s statement confirming the return of the first Lady reads, ” the wife of the President Her Excellency Mrs. Aisha Buhari has arrived back in the country. She arrived at approximately 4.30am Nigerian time on a British Airways flight.
At the airport, the President’s wife reacted to her long holiday in the UK, saying I stayed away for so long, because before the advent of this administration it had always been the custom for me to take a long vacation with her children, but since the president was elected and due to exigencies of duty it has not been possible.
“This year I decided to break the jinx and spend time with them, especially since Mr President has graciously appointed Special Advisers and Personal assistants for me.
Present at the airport to meet her were the First lady of Kogi state, Mrs Rasheedat Bello, Wife of former Governor of Nassarawa state, Mrs Mairo Al Makura. Chairperson of National centre for Women Development Joy Gene Nunieh, wife of Minister for Niger Delta Affairs Mrs Ekaetae Unoma Godswill Akpabio, D.G. Womens development centre, Mrs Mary Etta, and Senior Special Assistant office of the wife of the President, Dr Hajo Sani.
She has since returned home to the villa to meet Family and friends waiting.
October 13, 2019
President Xi’s visit to Nepal opens new chapter of China-Nepal friendship

By Hou Yanqi
Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Nepal at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari. It is his first state visit to the country, and also the first one paid by a Chinese President in 23 years.
President Xi’s visit, eagerly anticipated by the Nepali people, has led to a jubilant atmosphere across the beautiful country known for its snow mountains. As the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, I feel excited and proud to have witnessed and participated in this historic moment.
China and Nepal are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. For thousands of years, the two peoples have opened up roads on the mighty Himalaya mountains and left numerous great stories of friendly exchanges.
Eminent Chinese monks Fa Hien in Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420 A.D.) and Huen Tsang in Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) had both visited Nepal to study Buddhist doctrine and culture, and ancient Nepali King Amshu Varman married his daughter, Princess Bhrikuti Devi to the then Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo.
It is also known that more than 700 years ago, famous Nepali architect Arniko came to China and directed the construction of many buildings including the famous White Stupa in Beijing’s Miaoying Temple.
These stories have been inherited from generation to generation, witnessing the development of China-Nepal friendship.
China and Nepal have maintained frequent high-level exchanges and constantly enhanced political mutual trust since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1955.
The two countries show mutual support on issues concerning the core interests of each other. Nepal has a long-term stance of adhering to the one-China policy, and China has unswervingly supported Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, and national dignity.
Over the years, China and Nepal have worked hand in hand on the paths of development. China has tried its best to support Nepal in its social and economic development, helping with the construction of many projects conducive to the improvement of the Nepali’s livelihood, such as the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, and hydropower plants.
The two countries have also maintained close coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, sparing no effort to jointly safeguard international justice and defend the rights and interests of developing countries.
In recent years, China-Nepal relations have enjoyed sound momentum of development under the earnest efforts and personal guidance of the leaders of the two countries.
This April, President Bhandari made a state visit to China and attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and the opening ceremony of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition.
During her stay in Beijing, President Bhandari and President Xi held a cordial meeting, having in-depth discussions on China-Nepal relations and pointing the way for the future development of their bilateral ties.
Under the frame work of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China and Nepal have achieved remarkable fruits in their mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as connectivity, trade and investment, and energy, and the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network has taken shape covering highway, railway, port, aviation, and communication.
China is now Nepal’s biggest source of investment and second largest trading partner, as well as one of the latter’s most important cooperation and development partners. Last year, the two countries witnessed a bilateral foreign trade volume of $1.1 billion.
Today, Chinese companies can be seen everywhere across Nepal. There, they have successfully completed irrigation and highway projects such as the Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project and the first phase of the Ring Road Improvement Project in Kathmandu. In addition, they are also currently working on the international airports in Pokhara and Lumbini.
Besides, the people-to-people bonds between China and Nepal have been increasingly enhanced with each passing day. The genuine friendship has been greatly treasured and become even more precious in trials and tribulations.
For the past 20 straight years, China has been sending medical teams to Nepal and endeavoring to help alleviate Nepali people’s pain and suffering.
The immediate help offered by the Chinese government and people after Nepal was hit by a mega earthquake in April 2015 has become an unforgettable memory for the Nepali. A series of post-disaster reconstruction projects were gradually completed with the assistance from China.
Today, as Nepal is striving to realize its vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali,” China is ready to share its development experiences and dock development strategies of the two countries for common development.
China and Nepal have also enjoyed increasingly closer people-to-people exchanges and varying forms of communication activities.
As the second largest and fastest growing source of tourists for Nepal, China has seen more than 150,000 tourists traveling to Nepal the last year. The figure represented a 46.8 percent year-on-year growth.
Meanwhile, a great number of Nepali students have studied in China with scholarships offered by the Chinese government. After returning to their motherland, these young talents have grown into experts in various fields and contributed to the social and economic development of their home country.
Moreover, a series of such cultural activities as Chinese Film Festival, China Festival, and Happy Chinese New Year have achieved success in Nepal. The two countries are also seeing frequent mutual visits and exchanges among the youth, media, and think tanks.
With the ever-growing “Chinese fever” in Nepal, over 100 Chinese volunteers are teaching Chinese in Nepali primary and secondary schools, enjoying broad popularity.
Today, as President Xi and President Bhandari chart a new course for the bilateral ties between the two countries in Nepal, China-Nepal friendship has been brought into a new historic starting point, which is believed to mark the beginning of a new period of rapid development of bilateral relations.
We believe President Xi’s visit to Nepal will be an important milestone in the history of China-Nepal relations, which will bring the evergreen traditional friendship between the two countries and their comprehensive cooperative partnership to a higher level, and thus creating greater benefits for the two countries and their peoples.
(Hou Yanqi is the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal.)
Source: People’s Daily
October 13, 2019
Lady golfers canvass support towards Nigeria open
…As 10 countries set to storm Abuja
By Unukere Oboh
Organisers of the 2019 Nigeria Ladies Golf Open Championship, scheduled for IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja from November 12 to November 15, have began activities lined up towards a successful hosting of the event
The President, Ladies Golf Association Of Nigeria (LGAN), Ekanem Ekwueme, led some members of the committee on a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jeddy Agba, as part of the awareness campaign to herald the annual event.
Mrs Ekwueme told the Minister that players from more than 10 African countries have indicated their interest to participate in the championship which was won last year by Eva Magala of Uganda at the Ibom Resort Golf Club in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
“The tournament is important because it has the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), being an event where any lady golfer who participates and earn a good score will be ranked internationally,” she said.
Ekwueme said membrrs of the IBB International Golf and Country Club were not only prepared to host but to take the competition’s main trophy from Ugandan Eva Magala as some of the best Nigerian Ladies would take part in the three-day event.
The LGAN President solicited for Mr Goddy Jeddy Agba’s support in making the event a memorable one for foreign players, “so that they will attend and return home with so many good story about Nigeria”.
She however urged the Minister of State for Power to begin to play golf, pointing out that the game is for both the young and elderly.
While responding, Agba who thanked the LGAN members for their efforts in promoting the game of golf among Nigerian women urged them to always think of their country Nigeria first in whatever activities they are doing.
“The present government’s commitment to the development of the Nigerian people in every capacity is unparallel.
“In that regard, your country should always come first in all you do, as a way of giving back to your country too.”
The minister then promised to support the LGAN towards achieving its members’ desire before, during and after the tournament.
October 13, 2019
No govt has justification for stealing
By Abel leonard / Lafia
Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says any person elected as governor of a state has no justification to steal public funds.
Sule stated this during the closing ceremony of the 23rd National Quranic Recitation Competition organised by the Jamaatul Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Lafia.
According to him, any person elected as governor and is found to be stealing public funds, requires God’s deliverance.
He said governors were well provided for in the scheme of things, and as such, only a diabolic governor would resort to stealing public funds.
“When I assumed office as governor, I realised that only those who have no true knowledge about God could steal or that their major preoccupation is to steal public funds.
“Any person who is a governor and is stealing public funds , then such a person is in need of God’s deliverance,” he said.
The governor called on scholars and other educated elite to join politics in order to help to bring sanity to the system.
He dismissed insinuations that one must be wealthy before joining politics, stressing that as long as religious scholars kept avoiding politics, then they should be prepared to elect leaders who would betray their trust.
He called on Islamic scholars not to relent in telling the people the truth, even at the risk of rejection.
Sule also urged them to aspire for political leadership positions.
Sheikh Sani Jengre, National Chairman, Council of Ulama of JIBWIS, charged Muslims to be law abiding, stressing the importance of seeking both Quranic and western education.
Jengre decried the level of moral decadence in the country’s educational system, especially with recent reports of sexual harassment of female students in some universities.
He urged university lecturers to put the fear of God in their work and to henceforth desist from molesting both their male and female students.
You would recalled our correspondence report that Mubarak Abdulkarim from Niger, emerged the overall winner of the national Quranic recitation competition, carting away a brand new Toyota Siena Bus as well as a cash prize of an unspecified amount.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion included Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, and some other members of the House of Representatives.
Others were traditional leaders led by the Emir of Lafia rtd. Justice Sidi Bage.
Winners of the various categories of the competition carted away various prizes including cars, motorcycles, electronics and cash.
October 13, 2019
NA F HOLDS 3RD QUARTER 2019 ROUTE MARCH EXERCISE FOR PERSONNEL IN ABUJA
By Jennifer Yusuf
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has held its 2019 Third Quarter Route March Exercise for personnel serving in Abuja.
The Exercise, according to a statement by Airforce spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola was led by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Napoleon Bali, who represented the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, he said the event was aimed at ensuring the physical and mental fitness of NAF personnel for the effective performance of their various duties towards fulfilling constitutional roles of the Service.
Speaking at the end of the Exercise, the representative of the CAS commended personnel for demonstrating high level of physical fitness, stating that officers and men of the NAF have proved beyond all reasonable doubt that they are willing, able and ready to serve the nation and defend its territorial integrity.
According to him, a soldier that is not fit cannot perform satisfactorily, especially during emergencies. He urged the personnel to sustain the military culture of regular exercise in order to maintain their personal physical fitness to enable them carry out assigned tasks and perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. National Youth Service Corps members serving with the NAF as well as journalists also participated in the 10km march, which kicked-off from Mogadishu Military Cantonment to Niger Barracks and back. Similar Route March Exercises were also held in NAF Commands and Units across the Country.

October 12, 2019
In Nasarawa man stabs step mum to death
By Abel Leonard/Lafia.
The Police Command in Nasarawa State has arrested one Ahmed Abdullahi, 23, for allegedly stabbing his stepmother to death.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to our correspondence on Saturday in Lafia.
Nansel said the suspect allegedly committed the act around 11:00 p.m. on Friday at Ungwan-Yakubu, Agyaragu village, in Obi Local Government Area of the state.
According to the police spokesman, the suspect escaped from the scene of the incident and went into hiding. However, he was found on Saturday morning.
He said the suspect was about to be lynched by people of the village before the police intervened and took him into custody.
He said the police had launched an investigation to ascertain the motive behind the alleged murder.
October 12, 2019
Nasarawa AGF seeks reduction in civil servants salaries
Abel Leonard/Lafia
The Accountant General of Nasarawa State, Mr. Zakka Yakubu has proposed the review of civil servants salaries in order to free up funds for infrastructural development .
Zakka, spoke during a visit by officials of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning to the House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Lafia.
Zakka said the state paid the highest amount in Northern Nigeria as salaries to civil servants, and urged that the figure should be reviewed downwards as civil servants constitute only 4 per cent of the state’s population.
“In Nasarawa, we pay the highest salary in the whole of North, we pay more than Federal Capital. For instance, a level 13 officer in Nasarawa is collecting N142,000 to N148,000, while the Federal Capital Territory pays N93,000 at the same level
“When we receive allocation from the federation account, the whole of it goes to salary, we have a long way to go. Civil servants constitute only four per cent of population, government is all about services and we cannot render services when we have over-bloated our salary,” said Zakka.
Zakka also called for upward review of charges and taxes in order to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“Our revenue rate is poor. Most rates have to be reviewed if we need to generate revenue. Cost of producing receipt is more than collections. For instance, market receipt is N10, you go to court to swear an affidavit, you pay higher and what is on the receipt is N200 and they will charge you N1,000. Something needs to be done,” he said.
Zakka also advocated the reduction in fees of Nasarawa State University to allow children of the poor access the institution.
October 12, 2019
Tribunal judgment: Fintiri extends hands of fellowship to opposition parties
By Our Reporter
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa has extended hand of fellowship to APC and other opposition parties in the state to join hands with his PDP-lead administration in revamping the battered fortunes of Adamawa.
Fintiri made the call on Saturday in a reaction to the Friday tribunal judgment affirming his victory as governor of Adamawa, over an APC petition.
In the statement signed by his Director-General, Media and Communications, Mr Solomon Kumangar in Yola,
Fintiri said he was committed to work with the opposition and all those willing to contribute in building the state and nation at large.
The governor, who described the judgment as a welcome development and a reaffirmation of the people’s mandate, said the development would further ginger him to action.
“The judgment of the Election Tribunal upholding my election and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a re-affirmation of the people’s mandate and an added impetus to my drive to make Adamawa work again,“ Fintiri said.
The governor lauded the tribunal for being upright and just and thanked the entire citizens of the state for support and prayer.
He restated his firm resolve“ to work for the good of the people of Adamawa, adding that he would not let them down (NAN)
October 12, 2019
SON commences market surveillance in Gombe
By Our Reporter
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commenced market surveillance in Gombe and its environs to ensure that products, especially wires and cables, sold to the public meet standard.
The State Coordinator of the organisation, Alhaji Umar Yakubu disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Saturday.
According to him, the Organisation will continue to carry out its mandate as provided for in the Act.
“We embarked on inspection of wire and cables shops aimed at ensuring that only products which meet the required standard of production is sold in the market for consumers.
“It is part of our mandate to set up quality assurance system for certification of products, services and testing, to ensure that products conform to the relevant standards.
“When products are certified, they give assurance for safety, performances, quality and durability,” he said.
Yakubu said that while carrying out raid on electric cables and wires, samples had been taken to SON accredited laboratories for test to ensure their suitability for use by consumers.
He warned any dealer found wanting would be “handled“ as provided by SON Act no 14 of 2015.
According to him, members of the public have the right to buy quality products and as such, should they are expected to report anybody found selling substandard products.
“Not only the cables, including the other products, we have the mandate to ensure that products sold to the public meet the right standard.” (NAN)
October 12, 2019