The Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, Dr David Oyedepo, has admonished youths against the excessive use of social media.
Oyedepo gave the warning on Friday during the 15th Convocation of the school in Ota, Ogun, NAN reports.
The chancellor noted that the negative impact of social media on youths has made them lose focus and robbed them of their destinies.
“The social media saga has eroded the substance of destiny as it has unconsciously robbed youths of their future and their time.
“The honour of this generation has been wiped off, chatting all day with no time left to think, plan program and engage productively in the pursuit of any task.
“Some professionals have classified social media addiction along with drugs, alcohol and sex.
“Social media that is supposed to be a plus to the youths, suddenly became a minus, as everything of value is delivered through the investment of time,” he said.
The chancellor noted that life without a vision was an adventure in frustration and that life without a bearing was a burden.
He said only those who know where they are going ever get anywhere.
“No one ever arrives at a future he cannot see, neither does anyone arrive at a future he is not prepared for.
“It is time for every youth to wake up from slumber and take his/her destiny in their hands,” he added.
The United States government has revealed plans to supply drones to Nigeria as part of its commitment to help overcome security challenges in the country.
The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Mary Beth Leonard, stated this in Sokoto at a round table discussion with journalists in the state.
She said the drones would help Nigeria to end the activities of bandits, kidnappers, and Boko Haram in the country.
The American ambassador said: “Insecurity has shortchanged the development of the country in many areas of human endeavour.
“America is concern about the security situation of the country.”
The ambassador further explained that the US has been supportive of Nigeria on information gathering and hardware to combat security through modern technologies and other relevant areas of concern.
She said, however, protocols and channels that facilitate the implementations were considered by departments and expertise.
The ambassador who is going round states in the country to inspect American programs in the country said, “USAID had from 2015 to date invested about one hundred and twenty-two million dollars on different activities that comprised improving primary healthcare, immunisations, public access to quality healthcare, education, agriculture, and empowerments programmes.
“USAID future interactions aimed at strengthening the commitments include improving agriculturalists’ capacity for farmers to engage on right agricultural practices for growth and enhanced food production.”
She added that the Safe Schools Initiative and other educational support was accorded with priority, stressing that the US government accorded respect and concern on the plights of Nigerians.
She noted that the US government is assisting Nigeria in various human endeavours, stressing that her country is the largest single bilateral contributor to Nigeria.
The Ambassador commended the Sokoto State government for its commitment to developing the agricultural sector especially the cotton value chain.
The General Overseer of Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla who is billed to dedicate the record-breaking auditorium on Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 has made some revelations about how funding for the massive building of his 80,000-capacity church came about. In an interview session, yesterday with veteran Journalist, Femi Oyewale, Prophet Joshua Iginla who wasn’t very specific due to reasons best known to him admitted that the massive edifice cost him billions of naira which were not part of the church offering or loans from the bank. Rather, the money came from some of his personal business.
While speaking on how he got the vision to build such an edifice, He revealed that apart from being a man of God, He is into a modern agriculture, massive real estate, cryptocurrency, to the surprise of many.
‘’One of the thing God has done for him is I don’t need noise, sometimes some people ask questions of where I am coming from, some even think I am using something, they have syndicated so many things in the internet about me because of my speed.
Truly, I am a barrier breaker and a line crosser. if someone has not come to this church, he or she will not know how big this cathedral is. We were talking with the engineers and they said church is above 100,000 but for the purpose of comfort, we have to reduce it to 80,000. We have provisions for elevator, this church is a mind blowing one. We have hectares of land that are yet to be attended to. Talking about the amount of money I have spent, I don’t want to put myself into trouble, Billions and billions, its not a child’s play.
Just in the past three months to prepare for this official dedication, we have spent over N400 Milliion, so many pastors see me and think I am doing a money ritual.
When we were building, I remember some bank managers came to me and offered to borrow me some money, I laughed and told them there is no need for that. I’m worth more than whatever they want to loan me.
So many people wonder where I get all the money from, of a truth, so many religious leaders are deceptive and untrue to their followers. You cannot make the money of the gospel from offering and tithes. Someone like me, I give 90% of what God has put in my palms to enhance the church. I don’t go near the offering and tithes of the church, what can it do for me? I make my boast in the Lord, by the grace of God, I am what I am today by deploring my wisdom to make money, you don’t pray down money, you rain down money so if you don’t understand how to make money, you become poor throughout your lifetime.
I run a big modern agriculture firm, I am into real estate in a big-time way, I do a lot of businesses, I am into transportation, cars selling, I run trading firm, I am not ashamed to say that. I am so happy, I’m into foreign exchange, cryptocurrency, I’m bouncing into oil now, and of course, I have partners whom God has raised for me. Interestingly, some of the people God has used for me are from the other religion, I have friends from the Arab world who are so blessed and know how to give. Sometimes I am a lover of muslims, they give to the gospel. I’m not anti-Islam. What I am saying is the gospel can be financed by anybody, the bible say you will eat the riches of the gentiles’’
The 80,000 Capacity building called the city of wonders will be dedicated on Sunday, 23rd of May, 2021 and the man of God revealed that it was built within 13 months. He spoke on what inspired it and How God gave him a divine mandate for it.
‘1992, God gave me a vision about this building, 1996 it became clearer, in 2007, God brought more greater portion of this vision to me. When we were moving from old church building, we still have it and it’s so big. We had overflow that we couldn’t contain the crowd, then we had members parking cars all over, infact the neighborhood were getting angry, bursting the tyres of some of our members, I started buying over some of their properties, it was very big/
One day I was lying down, and the Lord told me it is time to build for him an auditorium, and he showed me in 1992, 1996, 2007, and promised to bring the provision.
It’s not because we want to show off, it was not an act of competition but necessity to the provision of the divine mandate. When its becomes a divine mandate, the provision will be made. There was no dime that was borrowed from the bank, we built this place in 13 months, we should have done the dedication but due to what happened in 2019, I had to take my time’
Wema Bank Plc, the creators of Nigeria’s first fully digital bank – ALAT– and one of Nigeria’s leading commercial banks, is hosting a creative essay competition for children.
The 2021 Royal Kiddies Essay Competition tagged “Write & Win”, will test the creative writing abilities of young school children in Nigeria aged 5 – 12. It aims to develop writing skills, promote creativity, imagination capabilities, reward creativity, and drive them towards excellence in their learning process.
Ten kids will emerge from a transparent, credible, and thorough screening process. The top three Essays will each get Huawei tablets and Royal Kiddies branded T-shirts. The seven other finalists will each get a N20,000 prepaid gift card for school supplies in addition to a branded T-shirt.
The essay competition is open to children of parents/guardians who have opened and funded a Royal Kiddies Account for their children/wards. Eligible kids will develop a creative and imaginative essay reminiscent of the eventful year 2020.
To get your kids to join the fun and get them rewarded for their creativity in the Wema Bank Royal Kiddies Essay Contest, follow the steps below:
Send an essay written by your ward(s) with the topic “2020 A year to Remember” along with their royal kiddies account details to retail.products@wemabank.com.
Essay submission entries close by May 24, 2021. Besides other terms and Conditions that apply, only Royal Kiddies Account holders with up to N20,000 in their account qualify to apply.
A Wema Bank Royal Kiddies Account gives your kids an early start to financial freedom. It is for kids between ages 1 to 12. Other benefits of opening a Wema Bank Royal Kiddies account for your children are access to school fees advance, scholarships, life assurance to fund their education and many others.
If you wish to enter your kids but do not have a Royal Kiddies account, visit the nearest Wema Bank branch to open an account.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) has berated governors who are clamouring for state police saying they are inviting anarchy.
Speaking at the Open Government Partnership Week in Abuja, the IGP said those governors asking for state police are doing so for selfish purpose because they want to use the instrument of state police against their political opponents.
The IGP, represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Lemu Sanusi, said: “But state police will bring anarchy. Look at what is happening with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna. With state police what will the situation be? If there is an armed robbery case, a governor cannot send state police. What the governors are looking for are instruments to defeat their political opponents.”
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning and co-chair of Open Government Partnership, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba said that after the EndSARS protest in October, last year, the relationship between the citizens and police worsened. He said the government is trying to repair the damaged relationship through the Open Government Partnership.
Atletico players celebrate at the end of the Spanish League football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and CA Osasuna at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on May 16, 2021. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)
Barely a week has gone by this season without Diego Simeone pronouncing his mantra of “one game at a time” and now it really rings true, with Atletico Madrid one match away from winning La Liga.
If they beat Real Valladolid on Saturday, they will be crowned champions for the first time since 2014 and few could argue given they will have been top of the table since December.
But Real Madrid is lurking, only two points behind, and ready to dip their neck over the line at the last moment. They have not led La Liga since October 17.
Real Madrid will have to win at home against Villarreal to have any chance but the omens looks good for Zinedine Zidane’s side, given their opponents may not be at full strength.
Villarreal is in a three-way battle to finish fifth and sixth, with the team that comes seventh dropping out of the Europa League and into the new and less lucrative Europa Conference League.
But Villarreal could do even better and qualify for the Champions League if they defeat Manchester United in the Europa League final, four days after their game at Valdebebas.
“We will have an eye on the Manchester United game,” said Villarreal coach Unai Emery on Wednesday.
A draw for Atletico could mean the top two are tied on points but that would see the trophy returned to Real Madrid, who would sneak it on head-to-head.
In some ways, Atletico might benefit from the situation being clear. They will almost certainly have win to claim the title and can look for victory from the start.
Valladolid scrapping for survival
Valladolid might have been relegated already had results gone against them last weekend but instead they are still fighting to be the one team out of three that survives.
Huesca and Elche are the others scrapping to finish 17th, with both of them two points ahead of Valladolid, the trio sandwiched between already-relegated Eibar and Getafe, who are safe.
It means only a win will give Valladolid hope, a scenario that could play into Atletico’s hands if it encourages their opponents to attack, opening the spaces that were denied by the defensive approach of Osasuna, who so nearly spoiled Atletico’s chances last weekend.
Luis Suarez’s 88th-minute winner, which completed a stunning turnaround after Renan Lodi equalised only six minutes before, had the feeling of a pivotal moment, a dramatic twist to prove decisive in who harnesses the prize.
Yet Real Madrid’s priority on Sunday was survival and they beat Athletic Bilbao at San Mames to take Atletico to the last day, when the tension will be at its highest.
Simeone admitted “anxiety exists” among his players but in 10 years in charge he has tried to expunge the fatalist tendencies that haunted the club for so long.
Real Madrid has benefitted before when Atletico conceded in the 93rd minute in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon and lost in extra-time. Atletico went close in the 2016 final in Milan too, only to be beaten by Real Madrid on penalties.
Now Simeone’s team are within touching distance again, the difference this time that Real Madrid have no control, their own success now depending on what happens at the Jose Zorrilla stadium, 200 kilometres away.
Win or lose, it could be Zidane’s final game in charge and there are serious doubts around the future of Ronald Koeman as well, ahead of Barcelona’s last match against Eibar.
Barca’s disappointing end to the season means they could even surrender third place if they lose while Sevilla will hope for the chance to overcome a two-point gap when they face Alaves on Sunday.
Real Sociedad in fifth are a point ahead of both Real Betis and Villarreal, the tussle for the Europa League still alive. Betis travel to Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad are at Osasuna.
Elche host Athletic Bilbao and to stay up, they will have to better Huesca’s result against Valencia at Mestalla. Valladolid must beat Atletico and hope Elche and Huesca both lose.
The Federal Government yesterday ordered both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Kaduna State Government to return to the negotiation table to find lasting solution to the industrial crisis that has engulfed the state since Monday.
The government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment had initiated a reconciliatory meeting which held yesterday to forestall the industrial action from snowballing into a nationwide crisis as threatened by the NLC.
The meeting chaired by Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige had the leadership of the NLC and representatives of the Kaduna State government in attendance. Though Kaduna Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, had boycotted the meeting.
The NLC was represented by eight of its leaders led by its President, Ayuba Wabba, three deputy presidents, Joe Ajaero, Amechi Asugwuni and Najeem Yasin and acting General Secretary, Ismail Bello.
The Kaduna State delegation was led by Head of Service, Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Commissioner for Local Government, Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani.
The meeting which lasted for over six hours however resolved that everything should return to status quo with the constitution of a 10-member bi-party committee comprising six representatives from the state government and NLC, to engage further with the objective of reverting with a work plan on how to integrate the provision of section 20 of the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 to resolve the impasse.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the two disputing parties and top officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at the end of the meeting.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Ngige said all contending issues were ‘exhaustively and extensively’ deliberated.
He said it was agreed that all the listed issues fall within the ambit of redundancy and it was resolved that the principle of redundancy as stated in Section 20 of Labour Act, Cap L1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria be applied..
According to Ngige, the contentious issues include the compulsory retirement of workers on Grade Level 14 and above and those who have attained the age of 50 years irrespective of Grade Levels, the reduction of staff strength of local government to 50 in each of the 23 local government areas and casualisation of workers on Grade Level 1-6.
The minister further disclosed that it was recognized in the meeting that the current situation in the state was a result of communication gap between the state government and NLC.
He disclosed that to resolve the issues, the meeting dicided to constitute a 10-man bi-partite committee, comprising six representatives of the Kaduna State government and three officials of NLC to engage further with the objective of reverting back with a work plan on how to settle the squabble
“The meeting resolved that the committee should have as Chairman, the Head of Service of Kaduna State Government and assisted by a Deputy National President of the NLC. The Committee is expected to revert with the work plan for peaceful resolution of all issues in contention to the Minister of Labour and Employment by Tuesday, 25 May, 2021.
“The work plan is to itemize the structure and sub-structure in the state local government of their activities, time of commencement as envisaged, final tenure of the committee or make recommendations if in its wisdom it thinks that the committee should be a Permanent Standing Committee.”
“In conclusion, it was agreed that there should be no further industrial action on these issues and no worker shall be victimized on account of his or her participation in the industrial action.”
A former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Joe Bisong, has said that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State is an ingrate following his defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During a phone interview with Bisong, he said “The governor (Ayade) is an adult, a politician and he has done the needful.
“A man must belong to a political party and if he has chosen to join another political party, it is his right to do so, the constitution allows him to do that.
“But my take as a person is that he has created a vacuum within the political party that elected him and if I have to say it, it’s a sign of ingratitude,” the PDP chieftain noted
“The party shielded him, he ran the first tenure, and what he is doing now is his second tenure. The same political party has showed him the green light to become the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Hon Bisong observed that sadly, the man just got up one morning, less than two years to the end of his tenure, dumped the political party to a new one.
“It doesn’t show any political maturity. What the PDP needs to do is to get up, being the largest political party and will be able to meet up,” he advised.
Hon Bisong said that if he had the opportunity to meet Gov Ayade, he would tell him, ‘Your Excellency, you have taken a wrong decision, a wrong political decision.
“He is the governor of the State, his departure will create a lot of issues. The new party he is going must have given him some conditions and this will affect executive council decision.
“He was running a PDP ideology which is liberalism and today he is moving to APC which is a conservative political party. Their ideologies are not the same and it’s going to affect the state,” he noted.
At least two persons were killed when gas exploded within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday morning.
According to Daily Trust, the explosion occurred around 11:am at the Marcque event centre within the Presidential Library.
It was gathered that technicians were topping up gas into an air conditioner before it exploded.
A worker at OOPL who spoke to newsmen in animosity said two people have been confirmed dead following the incident.
“The two gates leading into OOPL were shut while the security guards at the gate are currently turning visitors back,” the worker said.
It has been reported that the State Fire Service and some officials are currently in the premises to put the situation under control.
One person is feared dead and no fewer than five persons have been shot in Gberigbe, a suburb of Ikorodu in Lagos following violence by suspected land grabbers allegedly aided by law enforcement agents.
The victims, said to be members of the Gberigbe Orelade Family, claimed that they were shot by thugs, mobile policemen and soldiers led by a notorious alleged land grabber in the area.
They accused the assailants of attempting to seize their lands.
Two of the gunshot victims, Segun Tijani and Daniel Adebori, were seen receiving treatment at the Ijede General Hospital, Ikorodu.
Both men were shot Thursday morning.
Tijani was hit on the hand and leg, while Adebori was shot on the right arm.
