“The way forward is to increase funds for the arts and liberalise the process of acquiring that fund, if you give me the opportunity, I will do it because it is essential. I reject direct CBN intervention and encourage the private sector to be part of this; government cannot develop all the funds needed” Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential candidate, on Saturday promised to increase funds for the arts and liberalise the process of its acquisition once elected in the forthcoming elections. Abubakar made the promise during a special roundtable discussion with Nigeria’s creative cultural and innovative industry stakeholders in Lagos.…
Author: TheStories
“We hereby appeal to the President to cap all of these by signing the Older Persons Bill which will provide the needed social, economic and psychological protection of the Rights and Privileges of Nigerian Older Persons” The Graceful Ageing Fellowship (GRAF) on Saturday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the Older Persons Rights and Privileges bill passed by the National Assembly (NASS). Sen. Eze Ajoku, International Coordinator of the association, made the call during their 13 years anniversary in Abuja. Ajoku, who commended President Buhari for signing the Senior Citizens Centre Act in 2017, appealed to him to…
Ebonyi state government on Saturday enjoined politicians to adhere strictly with campaign guidelines issued by INEC for the 2023 general elections. Gov. David Umahi gave the admonition is a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Chooks Oko in Abakaliki. He said the state was committed to peaceful campaigns by all political parties. “I urge all political parties operating in the state to strictly adhere to INEC guidelines bearing in mind also the penalties for violation as contained in the State’s Executive Order 3. “On our part as government, we assure of our continued respect for freedom of all political…
Borno state governor, Babagana Zulum signed 775 Certificates of Occupancy on land ownership between 2020 and 2022, the Executive Secretary of Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS), Engr. Adam Bababe said on Saturday in Maiduguri. Bababe told newsmen that before the establishment of BOGIS in 2020, successive governments in the state signed only 1,722 Certificates of Occupancy in 20 years – 1999 to 2019. “In 2020, the year we started, Gov. Zulum signed 61 Certificates of Occupancy. “In 2021, he signed 414 such certificates and in 2022, he has signed 300 and we are sure he will sign more before the…
The Faithful Group (TFG), a political group loyal to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, has declared support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. This is contained in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Olusola Orelaja and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan. TFG had been issued a certificate of recognition following its endorsement of Tinubu as Tinubu Faithful Group (TFG). “After the APC presidential primaries, we held several executive meetings and came to a progressive decision to support Tinubu, the APC flag-bearer with capacity and competence,” he said. Orelaja, who is also…
“Now we ask, is it possible for the media to be objective? Yes, if we develop another trajectory in the media where excellence will not be sacrificed on the altar of money making” Media stakeholders on Saturday urged practitioners to be unbiased, selfless and professional in the performance of their duties. They also called for adequate compensation for media practioners to enable them to perform optimally. The stakeholders spoke at the 30th Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) Media Leaders Roundtable, held at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos state. The theme of the Media…
“Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves!” Public anger in China towards widening COVID-19 lockdowns across the country erupted into rare protests in China’s far western Xinjiang region and the country’s capital of Beijing, as nationwide infections set another record. Crowds took to the streets on Friday night in Xinjiang’s capital of Urumqi, chanting “End the lockdown!” and pumping their fists in the air, after a deadly fire on Thursday triggered anger over their prolonged COVID-19 lockdown according to videos circulated on Chinese social media on Friday night. Videos showed people in a plaza singing China’s national anthem with…
“The deal was a bid to ease a longstanding divide across mainland China between an underground flock loyal to the pope and a state-backed official church. For the first time since the 1950s, both sides recognised the pope as supreme leader of the Catholic Church” The Vatican on Saturday accused Chinese authorities of violating a bilateral pact on the appointment of bishops by installing one in a diocese not recognised by the Holy See. A statement said the Vatican learned with “surprise and regret” that the bishop of another district had been installed as auxiliary, or assistant, bishop in Jiangxi.…
Cornucopia, a word with Latin origin and Greek history, comes from the Latin cornu copiae, which translates literally to “horn of plenty.” Cornucopia is believed to represent the horn of a goat in Greek mythology. Legend has it that it was from this horn that the god, Zeus, was fed as an infant. Later, the horn was filled with flowers and fruits and given as a present to Zeus. The word first appeared in English in the early 16th century; a century later, it developed the figurative sense of an overflowing supply. And so, cornucopia means abundance, plenty, an inexhaustible amount…
The Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawan says Nigeria is collaborating with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to combat drugs trafficking. In a virtual interview on Saturday, he said anti-drug security agencies have been engaging to check drugs trafficking between the two countries. Lawal explained that a joint commission meeting in Abuja was held recently to discuss on formulation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on control of drugs trafficking. “In October, there was a joint commission meeting in Abuja, and part of what was discussed, is the issue of MoU. “An agreement of collaboration between our securities services particularly…