The United States has revealed Ukraine’s strategy in the ongoing crisis rocking the country.
According to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ukrainians are ensuring continuity of government one way or another” should President Volodymyr Zelensky gets killed in the conflict with Russia.
He said this in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Blinken praised Zelensky for his tenacity during this dire period.
According to him: “The Ukrainians have plans in place that I am not going to talk about or get into any detail about to make sure that there is continuity of government one way or another, and I am going to leave it at that.
“The leadership that President Zelensky has shown, the entire government has shown is remarkable, they have been the embodiment of these incredibly brave Ukrainian people.”
A Northern group known as the Unified Northern Nigeria Youths Forum has staged a rally calling on Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, to aspire to become Nigeria’s President in 2023.
The group at a rally organized in Kaduna endorsed Emefiele saying that the essence of their gathering and street procession was to call on Emefiele to vie for the number one seat in Nigeria.
The Spokesperson of the group, Mr Aliyu Muhammad Sani said the group was a coalition of forty (40) socio-cultural, socio-political and socio-economic groups with members spread across all the wards of the 19 Northern states and the FCT Abuja.
Comrade Sani said their reasons for calling on the CBN governor to contest were his “introduction of the Ancho-Borrowers Scheme which had helped to massively reduce poverty that was seen to be endemic in our region through the provision of farm inputs and one digit interest rate facility.
“His policies formulated have enhanced the establishment of many industries in our region worthy of mention such as Dangote Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited, Olams Industry, Vicampro, Tomato Jos, Gujeni Integrated, Iron Ore Mining and Processing Plants, Tiamin Rice Mill, MAFA Rice just to mention but a few. This also has created employment and wealth in our region.”
He added that, “Despite the sharp fall in oil price in 2014-2016, the economic nationalism of Mr Emefiele helped our states to stay afloat thereby preventing job loss while making it possible for states to carry out capital projects.
“His Interventions and policies of the CBN have made our country self-reliant in Rice and maize production. In few years to come, we shall begin to export these products thereby further strengthening our currency.”
Sani explained that “it is imperative to mention that agriculture is a catalyst for the industrial revolution and is central to the progress of any country like we have seen in many developed nations.
“It is on the strength of the above that we are here gathered to flag off this rally here in Kaduna state to enlighten the general public on the need to call on Mr Emefiele to contest for the president of this country and to encourage Dr Godwin Emefiele to dare the unknown and throw his hat in the ring and contest as the people of Northern Nigeria are with him and will stand with him through thick and thin,” he said.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, Mele Kyari on Sunday night visited some petrol stations in Abuja to ensure adequate distribution of petrol to Nigerians.
Kyari was accompanied on the inspection by the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage & Retail Infrastructure, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mr. Ogbugo Ukoha and other top officials of the NNPC.
Speaking to journalists during the tour, the GMD expressed satisfaction that normalcy is beginning to return to the country though the loading of petrol at the depot.
He expressed optimism that with the 24 hour dispensing of petrol to motorists as well as the support being given by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva and the cooperation of security agencies and oil marketers, the petrol crisis will soon be over.
Kyari said, “We are happy normalcy is returning and we are loading products all over the country 24 hours, truck numbers are increasing, normalcy is returning gradually and we seeing that the situation in Lagos and Abuja has greatly improved. We are very sure that normalcy will return very soon.
“That is why we are here to ensure that our stations sell 24 hours and to make sure that normalcy quickly return to our country and of course what is also true is that Mr. President is constantly kept in the picture of what is happening.
“He is giving us all the direction and support that we require, we are very happy with the support that we have gotten from him including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. Everything is on course.
“We are working very closely with the Authority that is trusted with regulating what is going on and we are working with government security agencies particularly the Department of State Services to ensure that product get to the station. We apologize to Nigerians that this difficulty is here and we are getting out of it.”
Also speaking, Ukoha commended the collaborative efforts by the NNPC, security agencies and other stakeholders in ensuring the seamless supply and truck out of products across the country.
He said, “There is collaboration between the Authority and the NNPC; the security agencies have also been very cooperative.
“The various marketing associations have also been collaborating and the depots, we are seeing truck out in many places 24 hours from Mondays to Sundays. So, if we keep up that momentum, within a few days as the GMD said, the queues will be over.”
On his part, the Station Dealer, NNPC Retail, Airport Road, Abuja, Mr. Aliyu Ilu, said that the station is open for business 24 hours and is receiving a steady supply of products.
He said, “Over the past three days we have had steady supply and the queues have lessen. All the cars today didn’t stay for more than an hour in the queue. The station is no more crowded as you can see, there is no much pressure. We have been operating 24 hours for the last three days.”
The Lagos State Government has sealed off Havillah Event Centre at Oniru on the island.
The event centre was said to be the venue of a party where the organisers distributed kegs of petrol souvenirs to those who attended the social gathering.
Video and photographs of the bizzare gift item distributed as the party which was held on Friday had gone viral.
It was gathered on Saturday that officials of the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Rapid Response Squad sealed the event centre for “Contravening Public Safety Rules”.
The Commissioner for Information in the state, Gbenga Omotoso, had in a statement vowed that those behind the action would be made to.account for it.
The statement read, “There is no doubt that this action is dangerous and can lead to loss of lives and property. It is blatantly against all safety measures in such places.
“The Lagos State Government through the Safety Commission is investigating this matter and will ensure that all parties to this reprehensible action are made to account for it.
“The safety of lives and properties of Lagosians and visitors remains a top priority to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
“We, therefore, advise that actions that can lead to loss of lives and properties be avoided. “
Unknown gunmen have released the traditional ruler of Pushit district in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau state, Diket Gupiya.
Naija News reports that the district head was abducted by the gunmen at his palace in Pushit community on February 24, 2022.
The monarch was in his palace watching television around 9:pm when the gunmen attacked his house and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
The state Police Command has confirmed that the traditional ruler was released on Friday night after spending one week with his abductors.
According to the spokesman for the command, Ubah Ogaba, the monarch has been reunited with his family.
He said, “I just got a situation report over there and I can confirm to you that the kidnapped traditional ruler has been released and has been reunited with his family.”
Gupiya, who is a close relative of the state Deputy Governor, Sonni Tyoden, becomes the third traditional ruler to be kidnapped in the state in the past two months.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence in Saturday announced it would stop its bombardment of parts of Ukraine, to allow for civilians to safely flee.
“Today, March 5, from 10 a.m. Moscow time, the Russian side declares a ceasefire regime and opens humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha,” said the ministry in a statement. “Humanitarian corridors and exit routes have been agreed with the Ukrainian side.”
The war between Russia and Ukraine is described as the biggest war after World War 2. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in the southwest.
Youths Can Be Catalyst Of Creative And Innovative Agents To Strengthen Democracy As Buhari Signs Electoral Bill Into Law – Ambassador Buratai
Following the signing of the 2022 electoral bill into law by President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2023 general elections, Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, Rtd, says the youths should take full advantage of the opportunities in the political space as agents of innovation to strengthen democratic practice for all inclusive growth.
Buratai’s itemized analyses are presented below
1. Let me begin by stating unequivocally that I have spent my entire service life defending my nation and democracy because I am convinced that it is the political system most conducive to peace, sustainable development, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, which are the three pillars of any healthy and democratic nation. Permit me to utilize this opportunity to congratulate Nigeria and all Nigerians, particularly the youth, on 22 years of uninterrupted democratic administration. Some may argue that Nigeria’s young democracy is nothing to celebrate because its elections, which are designed to serve as means for the peaceful resolution of political rivalries, are frequently flashpoints for political bloodshed. I concur that elections devoid of integrity cannot bring legitimacy to the winners, security to the losers, or public confidence in their leaders and institutions. This weakens polities by encouraging disaffected groups to seek out less constructive outlets for their discontent. Because of this challenge associated with all nascent democracies, some people feel that there is no need to commend the Nigerian democratic project. I respectfully disagree. We are evolving, and as you can see, the system is improving daily as a result of our leaders’ periodic enhancements to the democratic system. For instance, the 2022 Electoral Act which the President, Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari just signed into law, is a factor that will undoubtedly improve the transparency and acceptability of the country’s future elections and promote democratic governance.
2. Democracy remains a universal aspiration because it actually delivers. For example, of the twenty countries with highest levels of human development as measured by the UN’s human development index, nineteen are liberal democracies. Among the top forty, thirty-six are liberal democracies. And even the citizens of poorer democracies live, on average, nine years longer than citizens of poor autocracies, because they have better access to health and education. Democracies are also less vulnerable to famines and conflicts.
3. It was the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who said, “Man is, by nature, a political animal.” It means that a man is born, lives, and dies as a member of a community, and the affairs of that community are therefore his and vice-versa. This is why since my transition back to civilian life from the Army, I have continued to participate in every civic activity I could to promote peace and strengthen our democracy. It is the reason I decided to send this message to all Nigerian youths.
4. Democracy is known as the finest form of government. Why so? It is because in a democracy, the people of the country choose their leaders who will then form a government to lead them. They enjoy certain rights that are very essential for any human being to live freely and happily. On the other hand, Good governance has been defined to refer to structures and processes that are designed to ensure accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness, empowerment, and broad-based participation. Good governance also represents the norms, values and rules of the game through which public affairs are managed in a manner that is transparent, participatory, inclusive and responsive.
5. If we want to continue to make our democracy work and deliver dividends, we must take the critical issues of participation and a vibrant democratic system in Nigeria as sacrosanct, and our youths must embrace what I termed political dynamism. Political dynamism can be defined as vigorous political activity that is geared towards progress, and strength in the polity. It is usually characterized by patriotism, service to the fatherland, and youth inclusivity. Youth can be a creative force, a dynamic source of innovations, and they have undoubtedly, throughout history, participated, contributed, and even catalyzed important changes in political systems, power-sharing dynamics, and economic opportunities.
6. However, young people also face poverty, barriers to education, multiple forms of discrimination, and limited employment prospects and opportunities. This is a global challenge although it differs across countries, and it is why the youth must take the issue of electing their leaders very seriously. Our greatest resource as a country is not crude oil or any of the natural minerals but our population, our youth. Today, we have the largest global youth population in history, and the large majority of young people around the world are committed to peace, sustainable development, and human rights. Throughout my time in the Army, I’ve met with many groups of young people, including youth groups, student groups, and young leaders. I’ve always been impressed by their talent, knowledge, and desire to make the world a better place.
7. If I should take you back to memory lane to the history of our founding fathers, which most people agree that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo agreed on, you will find out that they all started as youths fired by political dynamism. Dr. Azikiwe captured the nation’s attention when, in 1937, he arrived in Nigeria with an electrifying personality and a bundle of talents, and on November 22, 1937, he published the maiden edition of his popular newspaper, The West African Pilot. The Sardauna started to experiment with his leadership qualities right from Katsina Teachers’ College, and later on, through political dynamism characterized by inclusiveness of all ethnic nationalities in the North. Same with Awolowo who showed his people the power of education as a liberating and equalizing force in any society. All three of these great leaders practiced political dynamism characterized by non-violence, patriotism, human development, and service to humanity.
8. The first time all three met together was on Friday, June 19, 1953. Enahoro’s Self-Government-Now bill and the consequent resignation of all the Action Group’s federal ministers caused a constitutional crisis which made Nigeria ungovernable. Oliver Lyttleton, the secretary of state for colonies, tried to salvage the situation by inviting the main players to a constitutional conference in London. But Awolowo and Azikiwe, who had become friends since Enahoro’s bill was tabled, refused the terms and conditions. Because the Sardauna was fine with them, Macpherson, Nigeria’s governor, brought Sardauna, Azikiwe and Awolowo together in his office to jointly fashion new terms and conditions.
9. After the meeting, which ended at 10:10pm, he presented the trio to the media and the Daily Times the following day, naming them The Big Three. Since then, it has stuck that they were founding fathers because their tribes and their parties were the largest and because it offered an inclusive impression that all the regions had a say in the formation of the country.
10. In countries emerging from or facing conflicts, young people can engage in peace-building by leading non-violent movements and using innovative solutions to mobilize societies to bring about the needed transformation. Young people have demonstrated the potential to build bridges across communities, working together to help manage conflict and promote peace. Young people play a big role in conflict and peace-building, and they can be agents of peaceful change and help rebuild lives and communities, making the world a better place.
11. President Muhammadu Buhari has laid a foundation for a new Nigeria. Despite the myriad of challenges, he has kept faith with his vision and principles. The youths must carry these vision and principles beyond this administration. The legacies must be protected for a greater Nigeria and a formidable future generations.
12. My message to young people today is that they must not let themselves be used as willing tools by do-or-die politicians who want to stir up trouble in their communities. Instead, you must embrace the tenets of political dynamism and root out every factor that contributes to the democracy deficit in Nigeria, namely voter apathy, ballot snatching, looting, arson, and the likes. You constitute a large percentage of our voting and working population. You are also going to be the number one population block that will suffer the consequences of bad governance and incompetent leaders in the future. Therefore, you must do everything to safeguard your future survival and welfare in mind. Get actively involved in the democratic process by joining a political party and electing those who will lead you. Remember that voting is a civic duty expected of every Nigerian.
Christiana Owomoyela, mother of music legend, late Oladipupo Owomoyela, commonly called Dr Orlando Owoh, is dead.
It was learnt that according to a family source, the deceased passed away on Thursday aged 112 years.
She breathed her last at her hometown, Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State, southwest Nigeria region.
Late Madam Christiana Owomoyela
Orlando Owoh was a popular highlife musician and band leader. His real name was Stephen Oladipupo Olaore Owomoyela.
As a young man, Owoh initially entered into the carpentry trade until 1958, when he was hired by Nigeria’s Kola Ogunmola Theatre Group to play drums and sing.
Owoh went on to form Dr. Orlando Owoh and his Omimah Band in 1960, and over a musical career of forty years became one of the leading proponents of highlife music. With bands such as the Omimah Band and later the Young Kenneries and the African Kenneries International, Owoh remained popular in Nigeria, even as tastes moved to the newer jùjú and fuji styles.
He had over 45 albums to his credit. Orlando Owoh died on 4 November 2008 and was laid to rest at his Agege residence in Lagos, Nigeria.
The presidency has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari came back to the country instead of traveling to the UK as scheduled.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, in a statement said the President will depart Nigeria on Sunday for his scheduled medical leave.
The statement was a reaction to the president’s surprise return to Nigeria from Kenya after earlier itinerary billed the president to leave for the UK from the East African country.
Shehu said the president returned to Abuja early following completion of his task in Nairobi far ahead of schedule.
According to Shehu, the president “hasn’t shelved his trip to London. The plan is still there. He finished his business in Kenya and made an early return. The trip to London is Sunday.”
The quiet return of the president was announced by a junior aide to President, Bashir Ahmad, in a twitter post.
He had caused confusion after tweeting, “President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja, after his participation in the 50th Anniversary of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya.”
There was no official statement until the confusion forced Shehu to react.
The president’s participation at the event in Kenya was announced by Mr Femi Adesina through Facebook showing him attending a “High Level Opening Segment of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) on 3rd Mar 2022.”
The president was shown sitting with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Raychelle Omamo, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi, Prime Minister of Central Africa Republic Mr. Felix Moloua at the Opening Segment.
Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday confirmed the death of their youth coach who died while protecting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
The CEO of Shakhtar Donetsk, Serhyi Palkin announced the development on Thursday evening.
Palkin in his statement said, “One of our employees was killed, he was a children’s coach.
“He was hit by a fragment of a Russian bullet.”
This is coming two days after two Ukrainian footballers were killed in a clash.
The death of Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko was announced in a tweet by the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO).
FIFPRO wrote, “Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and teammates of young Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo (21) and Dmytro Martynenko (25), football’s first reported losses in this war.
“May they both rest in peace.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has seen a lot of people killed and properties destroyed has entered the ninth day.
