Ridoola's blog

Adeyemo said that the unions were also concerned with the disagreement between the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) and the Minister of Works. The Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) and the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), have threatened to stop work on major roads due to some crises. The unions affiliated with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), represent the senior and junior staff in the construction industry. The National President of CCESSA, Ayodeji Adeyemo , and the NUCECFWW President Stephen Okoro , at a news conference on the state of the construction industry on Friday in Abuja, raised alarm over the plight of construction workers. According to Adeyemo, the construction industry is the second largest employer of labour in Nigeria after the Government. He, however, expressed concern that a lot of workers were being laid off by co...

Yesufu joined other Nigerians who have taken a deviant stance regarding the reintroduced national anthem. Nigerian activist, Aisha Yesufu, has come under fire from Nigerians on social media after refusing to stand up while the newly adopted national anthem was being rendered. Yesufu's action was in protest of President Bola Tinubu's decision to sign the National Anthem Bill 2024 into law, which discarded the "Arise, O compatriot" version and reintroduced the old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee .” Sharing a video from an event on her X account on Friday, May 31, 2024, the activist wrote "#NotMyNationalAnthem," indicating her rejection of the new anthem. In the video, Yesufu was seen sitting on a chair and flipping through a book while everyone else in the hall stood in honour of the national anthem. She is hardly the only Nigerian who expressed their disapproval of the reinstated anthem. Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili , had also kicked agai...

Governor Otu commended Moffi for representing Cross River admirably and serving as a role model for Nigerian youths. Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has doled out an N10 million reward to Super Eagles striker, Terem Moffi, for his role in Nigeria's second-place finish at the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d'Ivoire. Moffi played a cameo role in the Super Eagles's run to the final, coming on as an extra-time substitute against South Africa in the crunch Semi-Final match and converting his penalty kick in the shoot-out victory. Apparently, his contribution hasn't gone unnoticed, especially by the governor of his state of origin . In the company of his younger brother and father, Moffi received the cash gift in Calabar, Cross River capital, during his visit to the Governor on Friday, May 31, 2024. Otu lauded the OGC Nice of France striker for being a good ambassador of the state and for serving as a positive role model for the youth. The politic...

Tinubu had assured the ExxonMobil delegation that the Federal Government was committed to resolving the divestment issues between NNPC Ltd. and Seplat Energy. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) on Thursday announced the signing of a settlement agreement facilitating the divestment of ExxonMobil’s stake in Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) to Seplat Energy Plc. This is coming two years after the divestment plan was announced. The NNPC Ltd., in a statement, said the agreement involved MPNU, Mobil Development Nigeria Inc., and Mobil Exploration Nigeria Inc. “Settlement agreement between NNPC Ltd. and MPNU, Mobil Development Nigeria Inc., and Mobil Exploration Nigeria Inc. signed regarding the proposed divestment of a 100 per cent interest in MPNU to Seplat Energy Offshore Limited, ” the NNPC stated. This development comes after a directive from President Bola Tinubu to the Ministry of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) and NNPC Ltd. on May 28, to re...

Trump was convicted after being found guilty on each of the 34 charges of falsifying business records. Former United States of America President, Donald Trump, has been convicted by a New York jury on all charges in a hush-money case on Thursday, May 30, 2024. The earth-shattering development comes six months ahead of the next presidential election where he seeks to contest against incumbent Joe Biden for a return to the White House. Historically, Trump was the first former U.S. president to be tried for a criminal offence and the 77-year-old billionaire was found guilty on each of the 34 charges of falsifying business records. He was alleged to have perfected a scheme to cover up "hush money" payments to buy the silence of porn star, Stormy Daniels , in the days leading to the 2016 election. The former president is set for sentencing on July 11, four days before the commencement of the Republican National Convention on the 15th where he is expected to be formally nomi...

He said Tinubu and the APC remained keenly aware and attentive to difficulties Nigerians were going through on account of the policies. The All Progressives Congress (APC), has appreciated Nigerians for supporting President Bola Tinubu in the last year, assuring that the administration will continue to prioritise citizens’ welfare. Felix Morka , the party’s National Publicity Secretary in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Morka lauded Tinubu for striving with unmatched zeal and vigour to deliver on his cardinal electoral promise to oversee the full restoration and revitalisation of all aspects of the country’s economic life. “Undaunted by prevalent deep-seated and existential challenges confronting the nation before his inauguration. “The president stepped up with courage and bold determination to remake the fundamentals by tackling those challenges at their deepest roots. “Announcing the termination of the fuel subsidy regime in his inaugural speech, the President dealt a deci...

The minister said that the federal government had consistently taken steps to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has appealed to organised labour to be considerate and patriotic in their demands in the ongoing negotiation for a new national minimum wage. Onyejeocha appealed in a statement signed by Olajide Oshundun , Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry on Wednesday in Abuja. NAN reports that during the Tripartite Committee on the Minimum Wage negotiation meeting on Tuesday, the Federal Government offered Labour ₦60,000 as the new minimum wage for workers. The Organised Labour had also presented ₦494,000 as the new national minimum wage for workers in the country. The minister said that the federal government had been consistent in taking steps to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers. She, therefore, urged labour to recognise that the nation’s economy was ...

Keyamo proposed a potential solution to the problem, suggesting that reducing human interaction at airports could be a viable option. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has emphasised the urgent problem of touts at the nation’s international airports, calling them a major national embarrassment. During the Ministerial Sectoral Press Briefings, Keyamo pointed out two groups of touts: those operating within the airports and those outside. “There are two types of touts at the airports: official and non-official touts. That’s the truth, ” Keyamo stated, according to The Nigerian Tribune. He detailed the issue, highlighting that the presence of touts, often dressed in uniforms, at the airports is especially troublesome. He noted that these people are notorious for misconduct, such as asking for money and searching passengers’ bags. “You meet touts outside and inside the airport. You meet touts in uniforms, who dip hands into bags, ask for money. In many cases, we’ve seen ...

The APC chieftain further denigrated the 87-year-old ex-president, saying he is manifesting symptoms of senility. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu. In a statement made available to the press on Sunday, May 26, 2024, by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi , Obasanjo faulted Tinubu’s economic policies and his controversial handling of the coup d’etat in Niger Republic. The ex-president said the policies, which according to him were wrongly implemented, have led to the impoverishment of the economy and Nigerians. Obasanjo identified the removal of subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate, and the dealing with a military coup in the Niger Republic as some of the ‘necessary policies’ that Tinubu ‘implemented wrongly.’ APC fires back Reacting to this, the APC National Director, Bala Ibrahim , in an interview with ThePunch on Monday, May 27, 2024, faulted Oba...

The state commissioner for education says no student is allowed to pay fees in any guise. The Kogi Government will sanction secondary school principals or head teachers of public primary schools who sabotage its free education policy, education commissioner Wemi Jones, has announced. Jones gave the warning on Monday at the 2024 Children’s Day celebration held at Muhammad Buhari Square in Lokoja. Jones emphasised that public schools had remained tuition-free and declared that “any principal or head teacher who smuggles fees into the system does so at his or her peril.” The commissioner warned that erring officials would be severely punished, and advised parents and students to report erring officials to the authority. He stressed that the government had prioritised education and was giving all the needed attention to its functional growth. Jones maintained that since the assumption of office of the immediate past and present administrations, education had been on the front burner ...

Efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects, while the case is being investigated. The police say farmers were injured in a clash between farmers and cattle herders in the Hayin Kogi forest in Birninkudu Local Government Area of Jigawa. This is contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Lawan Shiisu on Monday. “ Report at the command’s disposal revealed that at 1700HRS, farmers at the Hayin Kogi Forest were attacked by herders resident of Waza Fulani settlements of Birninkudu LGA while clearing bushes in preparation for wet season farming. “As a result, some of the farmers escaped and abandoned their tricycles, phones and farm implements,” he said. The PPRO added that upon receipt of the report, police from the neighbouring Police Division, surrounding the forest were immediately mobilised to the scene. He said that a 42-year-old man and four others who sustained injuries had been taken to the Dutse General H...

The lawyer raised the alarm over Gambaryan’s continuous remand in the correctional facility, expressing fear for his life amidst his alleged deteriorating health. Aluko & Oyebode, the law firm handling the case of Binance Holdings Limited, says Mr Tigran Gambaryan, the cryptocurrency firm’s executive, standing trial alongside the company in Nigeria, may die in Kuje Correctional Centre. The law firm stated this in a letter addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court (FHC) and signed by a partner, C.J. Caleb. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the letter, dated and filed on May 23, which was sighted on Sunday, was titled: “Re: Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/128/2024 – Application for the Provision of Medical Treatment to Tigran Gambrayan at Nizamiye Hospital.” Caleb said, “We continue to act as counsel to Mr. Tigran Gambaryan, the 2nd defendant in the captioned suit pending before the Honourable Justice E. Nwite sitting at Court 9 of the Federal High Court...

The president emphasised the urgency of investing in long-lasting infrastructure projects that would benefit people for many years to come. President Bola Tinubu, says the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road will provide direct employment for millions of people and benefit over 30 million citizens. Tinubu said this at the official commissioning of the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the design procurement of the 1000km Sokoto-Badagry super highway on Sunday in Lagos. He said that the project which, aligned with the Renewed Hope initiative, would grow value and explore Nigeria’s abundant assets. “This 700 Km superhighway, a 10-lane road project represents a crucial step in our efforts to enhance connectivity, facilitate economic growth and improve the quality of life for our people. ” It will provide direct employment for millions of people across coastal states and over 30 million citizens will benefit and have access to production and marketing centres. “This ...

No doubt, with the submissions by stakeholders, implementing the Oronsaye report, is desirable for the country, even with its possible attendant implications and effects. The trajectory of implementing the Stephen Oronsaye-led committee report on federal civil service reform on learner government can be likened to the popular idiom and fable of belling the cat. Simply put, “Who will bell the cat?”, the idiom translates to being brave enough to do something that will be for the good and benefit of all, but it is considered, dangerous or difficult to achieve. According to Wikipedia, the fable that gives rise to the idiom “concerns a group of mice who debate plans to nullify the threat of a marauding cat. “One of them proposes placing a bell around its neck so that they are warned of its approach. “The plan is applauded by the others until one mouse asks, who will volunteer to place the bell on the cat. All of them make excuses.” Everybody seems to agree that we’ve got to bell the c...

The monarch said 24 years of bad governance has left Abia in a rotten state that requires serious work to repair. The Obi of Onitsha, HRH Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has lauded Governor Alex Otti for bringing relief to Abia State 24 years after allegedly being in the wilderness. The monarch said this while inaugurating three roads in the state reconstructed by the Otti government on Friday, May 24, 2024. The roads include Old Court Road, Ehi Road, and Kent Road, all located in Aba, Abia's commercial capital. Speaking at the event, the Obi of Onitsha said, “ Otti is God-sent. After 24 years in the wilderness (of the state), Otti has come to repair Abia State and Aba. “ Aba used to be number one in business and industry, but since one year ago Otti came in, things have changed. By God’s grace, the changes will continue like that for the four years he will be in office. “You put him there and must support him to deliver a democracy dividend to you, ” he said. Otti has come t...

Dangiwa recalled that in April, the ministry released the first batch of offers of new provisional allocation letters for outright payment to successful applicants. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, says the ministry has received about 8,925 expressions of interest for the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities housing scheme. Dangiwa, said this on Friday in Abuja, at the ministerial briefing on the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the last one year. According to him, the 8,925 expression of interest comprises 1,294 for outright purchase, 2,408 for mortgage, 2,184 for rent-to-own and 3,039 for instalment payment. ” Since the inception of the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Housing programme, we have taken pragmatic steps to fast track the sale and occupation of the housing units across the country. ”We advertised expression of interest forms with four windows of subscription to give room for all income segme...

The African Union (AU) is a continental organization comprising 55 member states, established to promote unity and solidarity among African countries, to spur economic development, and to promote international cooperation. Its formation was driven by the need to address common challenges and to ensure a stronger and more cohesive political and economic bloc. Here is a detailed look at the history and evolution of the African Union. Origins: The Organization of African Unity (OAU) The precursor to the African Union was the Organization of African Unity (OAU), established on May 25, 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The OAU was founded by 32 African states with the primary objectives of eradicating colonialism and promoting unity and cooperation among African nations. Key founding figures included Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya. The OAU's mission was defined by three main goals: To promote the unity and solidarity of African states...

Wike said that it used to take up to two weeks for security agencies to access the funds they needed to carry out security operations. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike says with improved security, residents of the territory “can now sleep with their two eyes closed”. Wike gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday, during the Ministerial Sectoral Update on the performance of President Bola Tinubu ’s administration in the last one year. He said the Tinubu-led administration had provided security agencies with all the logistics they required to equip them to do their job. He added that the FCT Administration had equally provided specialised motorcycles to enable security agencies to navigate difficult terrain in rural communities to improve security. Wike said that it used to take up to two weeks for security agencies to access the funds they needed to carry out security operations. “But now, it is different. The money they need for their operations is ...

The university stated that the decision had become necessary due to stringent external regulations. At least 60 Nigerian students at Teesside University have been expelled from their courses and instructed to leave the United Kingdom after failing to pay their tuition fees on time. According to the BBC, the students attribute their financial difficulties to the devaluation of the naira. They said this had impeded their ability to meet payment deadlines and consequently led to a breach of visa sponsorship conditions. Regrettably, these students have been forced to halt their studies, reported to the Home Office, and are now under orders to leave the UK. The university asserts that it must take this measure due to stringent external regulations. The impacted students voiced their anguish and frustration, accusing the university of being “heartless” and failing to offer sufficient assistance. A cohort of 60 students, who disclosed their identities to the BBC, united to press the un...

Why did Lanre have to suffer for eight years awaiting trial behind bars? In 2014, Olanrewaju Oladejo was a man with a plan — until Nigeria happened to him. One minute, the 41-year-old was going about his business, the next, a mob was accusing him of being an armed robber with zero evidence. Data compiled by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) shows that 69% of people in prisons across the country are awaiting trial , praying for the chance to prove their innocence — many times for minor crimes or alleged crimes police officers are unable to prove in court. Olanrewaju Oladejo was one of them. This is his story. Two thirds of Nigeria's prison population have not been convicted by a court of law What was your life like before prison? My parents are from Ogun State but I was born in Ajegunle. I dropped out of school when I was in JSS 2 because my parents couldn't continue to sponsor me. But they said I had to learn a trade instead and I became an apprentice to a panel ...