Late Professor John Pepper Clark- Bekederemo to be buried before 12 midnight today, Chief Ebikeme Clark said.
Ebikeme who was the immediate former Chairman of Burutu local government area, Delta state , said arrangement was in top gear to ensure the family met the Will of the late eminent poet and literary icon that his body be interred within three days of his passage at his Kiagbodo residence close to the Kiagbodo river in Burutu local government area, Delta state.
He said the remains of the late Professor Clark would arrive at the Asaba airport, capital of Delta state and be driven in a long motorcade to Kiagbogbodo community , adding that boats were already on standbye at the Kiagbodo river to ferry the remains across to his residence.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that he is buried before 12 midnight today.
We are expecting the body at the Asaba airport and from there it will come in a motorcade to our village. We want to meet his Will that he be buried within three days of his demise “, he said.
When asked if guests would be at the funeral, Clark who is a son of Chief Edwin Clark, former Federal Commissioner for Information, said it was going to be a quiet ceremony among family members.
The late Professor Clark was born April 6 1935 and passed on October 13, 2020 ,this year at the ripe age of 85 in Lagos.
He was among the first generation of celebrated playwright, dramatist, poet in Africa and retired as a Professor of African literature from the University of Lagos. Among schools he attended was the prestigious University of Ibadan
Reset Nigeria Movement has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately convoke a National Council of State meeting to address emerging developments arising from the #EndSARS nationwide protests.
A statement from the group’s convener Osaro Onaiwu said the protest deserves a national emergency as it has gone beyond just issues of police brutality. He said the protests are highlighting the failures of governance over the years.
“Our children are now out in the streets demanding wholesale reform of country. I do not believe their demand is limited to just SARS issues, otherwise they would be out of the roads by now. I think #EndSARS was just a vehicle for them to pour their frustrations on the system. If we do not address it now, things may go out of hand” Mr. Onaiwu said.
Onaiwu warned that leaders risks being toppled if they fail to give the demonstrations all the attention it deserves.
He urged both federal and state governments to quickly set up far-reaching committees to engage the protesters and fashion a way to accede to the demands.
“The committee must be all-encompassing and must enjoy the confidence of the youth to succeed,” Onaiwu said.
The Plateau State chapter of the Nigerian Councilors Forum, has donated some items to the State Government as part of its contribution at tackling the corona virus pandemic in the state.
During the presentation to Governor Simon Lalong at the Government House, Little Rayfield Jos, Chairman of the forum, Mr. Silas Ishaya said the Forum was happy with the efforts and steps taken by the Government in combating the virus.
He said the group has followed closely the initiatives of the Governor who is the Chairman of the Plateau State Task Force on Covid-19 from the initial stage till now when the situation is gradually easing down. Hon. Ishaya said the donation by the 325 councilors in the state was to complement Governor Lalong’s efforts as well as contribute to the State Endowment Initiative which has gone a long way in boosting the capacity of the State to handle the situation more effectively.
According to him, the Forum is very happy with the Governance style of Governor Lalong who is passionate about peace and has carried everyone along despite differences in political orientation, religion and ethnicity.
He assured the Governor that the Forum will continue to support the peace initiatives of the Governor as he has continued to open up Plateau State to the world and more investors are coming in to find business opportunities.
In his response, Governor Lalong thanked the councilors for their visit and donations describing it as a gesture that will go a long way in assisting the fight against COVID-19 in the State. He asked the councilors to step up the sensitization of people at the grassroots on the pandemic so as to ensure testing and compliance to protocols.
He urged them to be committed to their duties and their cooperation to ensure the progress of the state, saying they were closest to the grassroots and therefore knew the people’s challenges.
He also called on them to work toward developing community policing in their respective areas, reminding them that they were responsible for the security of lives and property in their areas before other authorities were informed.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Nuhu Abok, thanked Governor Lalong for his leadership style of inclusiveness and peace efforts. He prayed for the governor to find lasting solutions to the pockets of attacks in some communities for the success of his administration.
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has directed the re-opening of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the State from 30th October 2020.
This follows the engagement with all stakeholders and setting up of mechanisms for observing COVID-19 protocols in all schools in the State.
By this directive, schools are to resume academic activities for 3rd term and ensure they operate within the guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for the safety of students and teachers.
Already, various trainings and engagements have been held to orientate school principals and teachers on basic operational requirements. Similarly, the management of schools have been mandated to clean, fumigate and re-arrange the school environment preparatory to the resumption.
Meanwhile, all grade six students are to resume schools between 19th-23rd October to prepare for the First School Leaving Certificate and National Common Entrance Examinations.
All heads of public and private schools with huge population are also advised to consider staggered school attendance to avoid going against COVID-19 protocols relating to social distancing.
The Governor also directed that all exchange students who have arrived from other States should be accommodated pending the resumption date.
He appreciates the support and collaboration of Traditional Rulers, Parent Teacher Associations, School Based Management Committees and urges them to continue to step down the COVID-19 compliance advocacy at the grassroots.
In the meantime, arrangements are ongoing to facilitate the resumption of tertiary institutions in the State.
An ad hoc committee set up by the House of Representatives on the ongoing nationwide protests against the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force has summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The IGP is to appear before the special panel on October 22, 2020.
The panel will also conduct town hall meetings across the country to take hear from Nigerians on the matter.
Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and his deputy Kayode Alabi have joined scores of #EndSARS protesters in staging a walk to the Police Command headquarters in Ilorin, the state capital.
The protesters had converged on the Government House before the Governor and his deputy joined them.
He urged them to remain calm and peaceful while their grievances are promptly addressed.
Acknowledging grievances of the protesters, AbdulRazaq said he with a few governors and some businessmen have recently held a zoom meeting with some individuals involved in the protest movement.
He added at the end of the meeting the protesters five-point demands were forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the president was already acting on the five-point demands of the protesters whose activities particularly in Kwara the Governor said have remained peaceful and largely coordinated.
He briefly addressed the protesters and led them to the police headquarters on their request.
Addressing the protesters at the police headquarters, AbdulRazaq said the young people have spoken loud and clear and would have their interest protected by the government.
He announced the setting up of an ombudsman through which people can channel their grievances and have same attended to in the state. He said the ombudsman would be the go-between for aggrieved citizens and security agencies.
“However you look at it, we are all victims. I have since joined the protest. Some of you may notice online that I joined a Zoom meeting on Monday with Hajia Aisha Yesufu, Aliko Dangote, Wizkid and others to arrive at a resolution on this protest.
“It was part of this that led to the five-point agenda which is being implemented now by the federal government. The President is definitely listening to the complaints,” AbdulRazaq said.
Kwara Police Commissioner Kayode Egbetokun, who also addressed the protesters, commended them for being peaceful and said specific officers mentioned by the protesters would be investigated.
Nigerians have been barred from participating in the United States’ Visa lottery in 2022.
This was contained in a document obtained from the US’ website on Thursday.
The 19-page document was titled ‘Instructions for the 2022 diversity immigrant visa program (dv-2022)’.
“In Africa, natives of Nigeria are not eligible for this year’s Diversity Visa program,” the document stated.
However, natives from other African countries are eligible to apply, but “Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are chargeable,
respectively, to Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Persons born in the Gaza Strip are chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria.”
It stated that Nigeria was barred because more than 50,000 of its citizens immigrated to the United States in the previous five years.
Part of the document read, “Applicants who are selected in the program (selectees) must meet simple but strict eligibility requirements to qualify for a diversity visa. The Department of State determines selectees through a randomized computer drawing. The Department of State distributes diversity visas among six geographic regions, and no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available DVs in any one year.
“For DV-2022, persons born in the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent
Popular land developer and speculator, Alhaji Taoreed Faronbi, otherwise known as Baba Alado, has denied sponsoring thugs to attack #EndSARS protesters in the Alausa area of Lagos State.
Baba Alado said this during a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Thursday.
The Mushin leader, who wields a large following, said he was shocked to hear that he was trending on social media.
Baba Alado, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, said he had not been to Alausa in almost 15 years, adding that he had no reason to attack any protester.
He said, “They are just telling lies against me. I am telling you now that anyone they catch with a cutlass should face justice. I have no interest in Alausa. The police should shoot anyone that is caught disrupting protests. Why should I attack protesters? What interest do I have in the matter?
“I spent a lot of my time in America these days. I am a strong member of the APC. All they have been doing is to accuse me of land grabbing.
“I don’t even know those behind the attacks but I am sure it is politicians that are behind it. I have no hand in the matter. I am not a policeman. So, if the government says they don’t want protesters, am I the one that would enforce such an order?”
Some armed thugs took to the streets of Alausa to attack protesters on Thursday morning.
The protesters have been demonstrating since last Thursday, demanding an end to police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
However, the protests have intensified despite the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad by the police.
The protests, which have been held in major cities across the country, have caused heavy traffic and affected economic activities.
There are people whose love for sports cannot be quantified; such people hardly stop participating in their favourite sports no matter the level of their positions.
Such was the attribute of Alhaj Muhammadu Shehu Kangiwa who was the first elected civilian governor of Sokoto State, Nigeria in the short-lived Second Republic,
He held the office from October 1979 to November 1981. He represented the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He was a popular governor, providing water, health care, agricultural input, education at all levels and transparent government.
The Bakolori irrigation project, started by the previous military government, had displaced many peasant farmers without providing land or compensation. Confronted by demonstrators in November 1979, Kangiwa promised to address all their grievances. However, on 28 April 1980 police moved in on unarmed demonstrators and shot dead over 380 people.
The government played down the incident, claiming only 25 had died. He imprisoned Sheikh Zakzaky of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, along with some of his close disciples, and was said to have intended to execute him.
In 1981, he increased the number of Local Government Areas in the state from 19 to 32. However his successor Colonel Garba Duba reversed this measure in 1984.
He died in November 1981, falling from a horse while playing polo in the 1981 edition of the Georgian League.
In 1982 Unisteel Ltd. presented The Shehu Kangiwa Cup in his memory, and the cup is now sponsored by Sokoto State Government.
Kangiwa, was one of those sports lovers whose position never stop from participating in his favorite horse game.
He was a lover of sports and his interest was on horse game known as polo which he brought to the city of caliphate, Sokoto State.
He emerged the Governor of the then Sokoto State which comprised of the present day Kebbi and Zamfara State in 1979 and only ruled for two years in office.
After his landslide victory as the first executive Governor of Sokoto State, Kangiwa presented his first budget on March 28, 1980 which he tagged “Budget of Justice and to Rural Dwellers”. He was able to create Ministry for Rural Development which saw tremendous transformation of rural areas.
He was also able to establish many schools, upgrading of tertiary institutions, initiated housing projects, residential and office accommodation for government workers such as; Giginya Secretariat, Commissioners Quarters at Sama Road, Bado Quarters, Giginya and Shukura hotels among several others.
The late Kangiwa’s administration was also instrumental in road construction within the urban areas and rural areas which had no feeder roads then.
Unfortunately Shehu Kangiwa died on November 17th, 1981, and only served for a period of two years and sixteen days in office.
Shehu Kangiwa died as a result of injuries which he sustained on his head when he fell down from his horse during a polo tournament in Kaduna.
There is no doubt that the first Executive Governor of Sokoto State, was a visionary leader who used every opportunity at his disposal to transform the state during his short stint as a Governor.
One reporter now a senior journalist who covered the event on that fateful day in Kaduna, Musa Atanda said the accident which claimed the life of the Polo enthusiast came as a surprise to many of the Polo fans in the arena.
Atanda said it happened like a spark when the former governor fell off the horse he was riding only for another horse to run over him and in the process marching him on his head.
He said the whole centre was thrown in a sorrowful mood as the medics tried to revive him to no avail as he died on the pitch.
Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has directed the re-opening of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the State from 30th October 2020. This follows the engagement with all stakeholders and setting up of mechanisms for observing COVID-19 protocols in all schools in the State. By this directive, schools are to resume academic activities for 3rd term and ensure they operate within the guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for the safety of students and teachers. Already, various trainings and engagements have been held to orientate school principals and teachers on basic operational requirements. Similarly, the management of schools have been mandated to clean, fumigate and re-arrange the school environment preparatory to the resumption. Meanwhile, all grade six students are to resume schools between 19th-23rd October to prepare for the First School Leaving Certificate and National Common Entrance Examinations. All heads of public and private schools with huge population are also advised to consider staggered school attendance to avoid going against COVID-19 protocols relating to social distancing. The Governor also directed that all exchange students who have arrived from other States should be accommodated pending the resumption date. He appreciates the support and collaboration of Traditional Rulers, Parent Teacher Associations, School Based Management Committees and urges them to continue to step down the COVID-19 compliance advocacy at the grassroots. In the meantime, arrangements are ongoing to facilitate the resumption of tertiary institutions in the State.
