Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Mubi North Local Education Authority (LEA) has distributed 630 economic tree seedlings for planting in primary schools in the area.
Presenting the seedlings to headmasters of primary schools in the area, Malam Danrimi Ahmed , the Secretary of Education in the local government, advised that mango seedlings should be planted within the premises of schools or in school gardens.
He tasked the headmasters to ensure that the trees were nurtured to maturity in view of their importance to humans and the environment.
“All things necessary must be done to nurture the trees to maturity for maximum benefit to humans and the environment,’’ Danrimi stressed.
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Sector Command of the FRSC says it arrested 728 cyclists in the state in the last four months, for offences ranging from overloading to non-compliance with the us e of safety helmets.
The Sector Command, Mr. Francis Udoma, made this known in Ado-Ekiti on Monday during an enlightenment campaign tagged, “Child Safety on the road always”, organised by the command chapter of the Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA).
The Tide’s source reports that members of ROSOWA, led by its chairperson, Mrs. Francisca Fanola, used the opportunity offered by the campaign to distribute stickers and flyers to both motorists and pedestrians.
Udoma explained that an average of 182 cyclists, were arrested monthly for various traffic offences.
FCT
The International Organisation of Securities Commission (IOSCO) honoured the late President Umaru Yar’Adua on Friday by observing a moment of silence at its conference in Uganda.
The Nigeria’s Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director-General, Ms Arunma Oteh, who is attending the conference, said the capital market regulators were touched by the president’s demise.
“They were kind enough to give President Yar’Adua a moment of silence at the beginning of the event,’’ she said, in a telephone interview with The Tide’s source from Kampala.
Oteh said news of the president’s passing away was greeted with shock at the conference.
Yar’Adua passed away on May 5, after a protracted illness.
She said the late president would be remembered for his efforts in stabilising the capital market after the global financial shock.
The Nigerian capital market was shaken by the rippling effects of the global financial crisis in 2008, sending stock prices to crumble and revealing fault lines in the operations of the market.
The director-general said the reforms instituted to stabilise the market by the Yar’Adua administration was beginning to yield results.
Kano
Full commercial activities have now resumed in Kano, four days after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The ancient city noted for its burstling economic activity, witnessed a lull following the announcement of Yar’Adua’s death on Wednesday,as shops and other business outfits closed, to mourn the death of the departed leader.
The Tide’s source who went round the commercial town on Sunday, observed that trading activities were going on in full swing, with people trooping in and out of the city with vehicles loaded with various types of goods.
A visit to the Sabon Gari and Kantin Kwari markets showed that people were gradually getting over the shock of the president’s demise and continuing with their daily activities.
A trader, Malam Shehu Talata, told the source that he closed his shop for two days, to mourn the death of the president, “but now, I am back to business.”
Katsina
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan to enable him to move the country forward.
Abubakar made the call in a chart with newsmen shortly after attending the third day prayer for the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in Katsina.
He said the call had become necessary in view of the circumstances leading to his emergence as president of the country.
“I pray that Nigerians will give him the needed support to continue with all the good legacies the late President Umaru Yar’Adua left behind,” he said.
The former head of state, who described the death of President Yar’Adua as a great loss to the country, prayed God to reward him with “the best of Paradise’’.
Lagos
Independent candidacy recommended by the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee is not practicable in the 2011 elections, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has said.
Mr Emma Eneukwu, the ANPP National Publicity Secretary, told newsmen in Lagos that independent candidacy could be practicable only where there were two or three parties.
“Independent candidate is one of the things we advocated for, but where we differ a little is that where you have about 57 political parties, there is no need for an independent candidate,” he said.
The Tide’s source reports that the House of Representatives had earlier in the week approved the committee’s recommendation on independent candidacy.
The candidate, however, will have to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 90 days before the election date.
Niger
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ogbonna Onovo, says the reform in the Nigeria Police Force was expected to gulp N400 billion.
The former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Lame, had told newsmen that the three tiers of government had agreed to contribute N450 billion annually in the next five years to fund the Nigeria Police Force.
Onovo made the disclosure in Minna during the opening of the first policing executive forum, organised by CLEEN Foundation, an NGO.
He said it was heart-warming that all three tiers of government were working toward providing the needed funds.
“The good thing about this reform is that when fully implemented, it will give Nigeria a befitting police force.”
“It is my hope that the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police Service Commission will work assiduously with the management team of the Nigeria Police Force to make these police reforms a reality,’’ he said.
Oyo
A former Judge at the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Mr. Bola Ajibola, has said that injustice in Nigeria is among the causes of terrorist acts.
Abjibola said this in Ibadan recently in a lecture entitled, “Towards a Terror Free Society: The need for Mental Transformation”, delivered at the 2010 Dawah Week of the Muslim Students Society of Lead City University (LCU).
He said that the same factor bred international terrorism and urged the federal government to spread development evenly to give every part of the country a sense of belonging.
“Those who subject others to inhuman or degrading living conditions will most likely end up as recipients of such people’s uncivil tendencies”, he said.
Ajibola, whose paper was delivered by Mr. Saheed Aweda, said Nigerian youths had great roles to play, especially in mental transformation to change their perception of terrorism and their orientation toward nation building.
He said the government must work sincerely and assiduously to eradicate poverty and not just reducing the subject to a campaign slogun.
Sokoto
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, the Sultan of Sokoto, has described the late President Umaru Yar’Adua as a consummate and an affable personality imbued with humility, a high sense of dignity and poise.
This was contained in a condolence letter he sent to President Goodluck Jonathan, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Sokoto.
In the letter, the Sultan said: “His incisive vision, his selflessness and dedication, his exemplary leadership qualities and his unalloyed commitment to the promotion of the rule of law have all contributed immensely in moving this nation forward in the last few years.
“The late President Yar’Adua was, above all, a man of peace who worked tirelessly and assiduously in promoting peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding not only in the Niger Delta but also in all parts of the country.
“We write with a heavy heart and with sadness and sorrow to condole Your Excellency over the passing away of His Excellency President Umaru Yar’Adua”.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.