Recession: Woman drops suicide note, disappears

The whereabouts of a mother of three, Olubunmi Uko, said to have walked out of her Fola Agoro home in Somolu area of the state with one of her sons after leaving a suicide note, was still unknown at press time. She had complained to a relative that her business had gone bad due to the exchange rate and that her debts had risen beyond redemption. Olubunmi Uko Uko, a businesswoman, reportedly walked out of her home last Friday evening with her last child, identified as Seun. She reportedly woke up her other children and informed them that she was going to visit someone. The older children, Iyiola and Toni, allegedly woke up later to find a suicide note written by their mother. A relative, who simply gave his name as Folu, told Vanguard: “She addressed the suicide note to her children, her mother and to any other person concerned. She said nobody should bother to look for her, that she was going to jump into the river and end it all. “She said she was tired of life. She also said that by the time the letter would be seen, she would have ended inside the belly of a shark. “She had always complained of dwindling business due to high exchange rate. At a point, she complained that she owed people and had no means to pay back. She also said that she borrowed half a million naira to offset the loan, but decided to use it on her business with the hope to realise some gain, but that the money ended up sinking in the business.” Vanguard gathered that prayer sessions are ongoing at different prayer centres for her safe return. Another relative, Mimnimah Uko, who identified the missing woman as her cousin-in-law, wondered why she would allow herself to be overwhelmed by the issues of life to the extent of taking such decision as solution. The relative said: “Our prayer is for God to have mercy by ensuring her safe return and that of her son, Seun. We are imploring Nige-rians to please join us to pray.”

True Federalism: Fayose calls for restructuring of Nigeria

Ado-Ekiti— Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has thrown his weight behind those calling for the restructuring of the country, wondering why the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was at the fore-front of the agitation for true federalism was now against restructuring as the ruling party. Fayose Hailing the position expressed last Thursday, by the Southwest APC, Fayose said the party must now go beyond rhetoric and set machineries in motion to restructure the country. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said: “Under the present APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria is returning to full-blown unitary system of government. “It is on record that the APC said at a debate on ‘Addressing the rising insecurity in Nigeria, what is the master plan?’ organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on December 18, 2014, that it (APC) would ensure true federalism and adequate community policing through the establishment of state-controlled police so as to curb the protracted security challenges in the country. “Sad enough, now that it is the ruling party, APC is no longer talking about true federalism, and  state police it canvassed while in the opposition.” Governor Fayose, who canvassed for development of state governments, noted that; “Nigeria developed faster in the 50s and 60s when it was practising confederal system of government, with the regions running its own affairs almost autonomously. “A situation where a state cannot do anything about its mineral resources without approval from the Federal Government, will not foster the development that we all yearn for.” the governor said.   A situation where the federal government has turned itself into lord and master over other federating units in the country, using federal agencies to oppress even governors is not acceptable.”

RECESSION: Kumuyi, Udom foresee hope for Nigeria

GENERAL Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi and the Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom last Sunday assured Nigerians that the current harsh economic situation would soon abate. Kumuyi Speaking at a special Sunday service at the church’s International Bible Training Centre, Ayobo, a suburb of Lagos the twosome foresee hope despite the prevailing economic challenges. In a brief remark to the large crowd of worshippers, the Akwa Ibom State governor who extolled the virtues of the man of God, expressed hope that the nation would soon get over its present economic hardship. Despite the challenges facing the nation, Gov. Udom counselled Nigerians to appreciate that there must be a wilderness before the Promised Land, stressing that the nation had been sustained despite the challenges due to the prayers of Christian leaders and their followers. Udom challenged Nigerians to live righteously as any nation that must make progress must have its root in righteousness, saying that “it is righteousness that exalts a nation.” The governor said the things of God could not be gotten through short cut, stressing that Nigerians must embrace humility and repent of their sins so that God could take them to the Promised Land. Stressing the point to diversify the economy, Mr. Udom said over dependence on oil has not helped the nation and “I think the current economic situation calls for a rethink so that we can now walk the talk of diversification of our economy. “I just want to let you know that there’s no developed nation in the world today that cannot feed its citizens. If I can draw my analogy, you could see that God did not actually move to do anything until He found something for man to eat (Adam) in the Garden of Eden. So you could see the same is being followed by all developed nations. I just believe as at today we Nigerians will go back. There’s so much we can get out of the land,” he emphasised. Drawing further analogy from creation story, the governor main-tained that these are the days of the fruits of the lthI, adding “and when you are talking land, the first thing that comes to mind is agriculture. Anything we want to discuss today as far as the country is, our first step of development must be the fact that we should be able to feed our citizens.” “I also believe that Akwa Ibom State is the most blessed states on planet earth in terms of climate, soil condition and anything you can think of. I have a whole lot of women who have never seen fertiliser since they were born but they plant cassava and harvest seriously. “Plantain in my area is one of the best you can find in the whole world. The cocoa flavour from my land and from my climate is the best flavour you can taste anywhere. That’s why I say I behave like Moses. This is the time for execution,” he noted. On corruption, Udom said Nigerians must correct the notion that all those in government were corrupt, stressing that if corruption must be tackled in the nation, it must begin from individuals through attitudinal change. Also speaking, Pastor Kumuyi said Nigerians needed hope to make progress and that once there is hope and focus, the nation would get to its desired destination. He also stressed the need for attitudinal change for things to get better in the country, adding that this change would begin with a step at a time and with a clear focus on where “we are heading, Nigeria will be better.” Reminded that most Nigerians desire to hear his voice on the spate of killings of Christians in the North, Pastor Kumuyi had this to say: “Well I don’t know where those people are living that you said have not heard my voice. I just came back from FCT, from Benue, from Niger, from Kogi, from Nasarawa, from Plateau, from Adamawa, from Gombe, from Bauchi, from Taraba, and I’m on my way to Kaduna now. “And thousands of people gather together. I met with governors and deputy governors and executives; we spoke about things, mapping out ways forward. So I don’t know where those people are living that they have not heard my voice. Those who want to hear are hearing and you are hearing too,” he stated. Earlier in a sermon titled: “The renewed life of a rapturable saint,” Kumuyi charged Christians to shun all forms of covetousness, fornicat-ion, uncleaness, idolatry, among others and embrace righteousness and holiness of heart. If we are born again, we will set our affection on the things above,” he said, adding that godliness and righteousness should be the priority of every Christian.

Nigerian music industry to mark “No Music Day”

The Nigerian music industry has stepped up plans to mark the annual ‘No Music Day’ across Nigeria, next month. Themed “The Monetisation of Musical Content in the Digital Space” the event is a day the music industry has dedicated to bring the attention of the Nigerian nation to the widespread infringement of the rights of songwriters, composers, performers, music publishers, record labels and other stakeholders in the music industry. Okoroji Speaking on the theme of this year’s event, Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji  said “Every year, in marking ‘No Music Day’, our objective has been to engage the Nigerian people and the various governments on the potential contributions of Nigerian music to the socio-economic development of the Nigerian nation and the necessity to fully deploy the substantial comparative advantage which our nation possesses in this area so as to provide hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs to the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths. I have no doubt that if the right environment is created in Nigeria, the enormous creative energy exhibited by our young people will be released to the amazement of the world” he said. 

4,395 couples ready for Kano’s mass-wedding

No fewer than 4,395 prospective couples wishing to participate in the Kano State Government’s mass wedding have so far registered for the programme. The state government had directed the Hisba Board to register all interested prospective couples in the state. Dr Abba Sufi, the Director-General of the board, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Saturday. Sufi said of the number, 3,117 couples were registered by Hisba offices in 41 local government areas of the state, while the remaining 1, 278 couples were registered at the state headquarters of the board in Kano. “As I am talking to you now, 4,395 prospective couples indicated interest to participate in the programme. He said as soon as the remaining three local government areas submitted their list, the board would write a comprehensive report to the government for necessary action. Sufi, who was giving update on the registration exercise, reaffirmed the commitment of the government toward ensuring the success of the programme. “The government is committed to the programme hence its decision to continue with the programme. “The registration is still open to all interested persons as the exercise is still ongoing,” Sufi said. The registration for the prospective couples began simultaneously across the 44 local government areas of the state on Aug. 8.

Flood destroys 120 houses, farms in Jigawa

Flood have destroyed 120 houses and washed away farms and other valuables worth million of naira in Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa.

Rep. Sai’du Yusif (APC-Jahun/Miga) made the figure known to newsmen after visiting the victims to sympathise with them.

Yusuf said the report received from the victims, indicated that about 120 houses, foodstuffs and other valuables were destroyed by flood.

The lawmaker, accompanied by Chief Whip, Rep. Alhasan Doguwa and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) official, said he came to sympathise with the victims.

Yusuf said he came in company of Alasan, who represented the Speaker, Rep Yakubu Dogara, to assess the level of damages caused by the flood for appropriate action.

The chief whip donated N500,000 to the victims to assuage their sufferings.

Yusuf declined comments on his donation, saying “it is between me and God’’.

But NAN learnt that he had donated cash, 50 sacks of maize, 50 bundles of wrappers and 60 bundles of brocade popularly known as “Shadda” to the victims.

He pledged to move a motion of urgent national importance when he return to the house to find lasting solution to the flood that had been ravaging the council annually.

After 3 kids in 3 years, I needed a break – Mercy Johnson-Okojie

Curvy cum busty Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, has revealed how much it was worth to create time out of her extremely busy career schedule to go on holiday with her husband in the United States for  approximately three weeks. Shortly after her return to her home country, the pretty mother of three spoke to Potpourri on the importance of taking time out to go on vacations. “We went to spend time together, three kids, three years, its fun; it’s awesome. In marriage, it’s necessary to have time to reminisce, plan and talk” she said excitedly Responding to why she’s already working barely a week after her return from the United States with her husband, she responded; “It’s not about the money, as a person I combine my marriage, my kids, my work together. I’ve done that for the past five years. My kids are on holidays now, so it’s a better time for me to work before they get back to school; it’s actually a better timing. Like I always say, it’s not about the money but the passion I have for my work.”