The organiser of the Pan-African journalism awards known as ‘Continental Reinsurance Plc’ has called on journalists to submit their creative works for the 2023 Journalism award in various categories.
Continental Reinsurance Plc announced this as part of its commitment to the advancement of excellence in the industry of Journalism.
The organisation said the coming award was the 8th edition of Pan-African Reinsurance Journalism Awards which invites entries from across the continent to be submitted in English, French or Arabic between November 15th, 2022 and February 15th, 2023.
Since 2015
Since its launch in 2015 the awards have been recognising the outstanding work of Journalists across the continents.
The candidates who could best demonstrate how their articles or works have advanced the understanding of the reinsurance sector in Africa would be made to realise a vital part in elevating societies and stimulating progress amongst communities across Africa.
Interested Journalists have been requested to submit their entries on the website of the organisation.
Voice of Nigeria’s, Destiny Onyemihia, was one of the winners at the 7th edition in 2022, bagging the journalism awards in ‘Best Broadcast English Category’.
The Commandant Peace Corps of Nigeria, PCN, Anambra State, Mr Innocent Okolo, has commended the National Assembly, NASS, for working towards the transmission of the Nigeria Peace Corps Bill to President Buhari for assent.
The machinery for transmitting the Bill seeking for an Act to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps to President Muhammadu Buhari was set in motion in the National Assembly after the inauguration of a conference committee that will harmonise the reports of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives took the lead by constituting a six-man conference committee that would work with their Senate counterpart to harmonise and produce a clean copy of the Bill for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
Reacting to the development in Awka, Anambra State, Commandant Okolo, explained that the conference committee members were expected to look out for discrepancies and harmonise them before forwarding the clean copy to the Presidency.
He expressed optimism that the harmonisation process would be completed before the Lawmakers proceed on campaign recess to quicken presidential assent to it.
The Peace Corps Bill
The Nigeria Peace Corps Bill seeks to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as a body charged with the responsibility to develop, empower and provide gainful employment to youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism, community service, neighbourhood watch and nation-building.
The Bill when assented to by President Buhari, would give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria.
So far, the organization has structured offices in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
It also has a membership strength of over 187,000 comprising of regular staff and volunteers but the bill was denied assent by President Buhari in 2018 when the 8th Assembly transmitted it to him for assent.
Earlier, Mr Okolo said that the expectations of Nigerians especially youths will come to fulfilment in no distant time. He urged Anambra people to enrol with the command as the state has over three hundred slots for those wishing to join the corps. Okolo also called on existing staff of the corps to report to the state office or local government areas for briefing.
The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, has refuted the allegation of attack by its President on civil servants who were said to be protesting over their contributory housing project.
Two local newspapers had reported that the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, had engaged in a physical fight with the Chairman of the NLC/TUC, Good Homes Subscribers Association, who had carried their protest to the NLC Headquarters in Abuja.
According to the publications, the inability of the NLC to deliver on their promise of houses for civil servants who had made contributions under the NLC/TUC Good Homes Scheme which dates back to about ten years ago brought about the incidence.
However, in a rebuttal the NLC Head, Information and Public Affairs Mr Benson Upah described the publications as false.
He said “it is unfortunate that miscreants posing as workers’ representatives decided to spin a false narrative and present same to the public as true.
“The truth is that the headquarters of the NLC on 18th January 2023 came under a heavy attack by hoodlums sponsored and led by one Mr Emeka Anuna who poses as Chairman of the FGN/FCT/NLC/TUC Mass Housing Project Subscribers Association.”
Upah said the arrival of the NLC President at the NLC headquarters led to an altercation between the protesters and some staff.
Mr Benson Upah explained that the reason for engaging Mr Emeka Anuna was because the NLC as an organisation that fights for the interest of workers and the masses believes in the sanctity of protest and would always be willing to engage in any peaceful protest.
Throwing more light on the issue at stake, the spokesperson of the NLC, said that the FGN/FCT/NLC/TUC/ Mass Housing Project of 2014 “is a project that is dear to the heart of NLC and TUC leaderships that has elicited very proactive, progressive, and sustained actions by the leadership of the Congress led by Mr Ayuba Wabba to ensure timely delivery of the project”.
He also noted that Congress had written a series of letters and strong representations to the Minister of the FCTA, who obliged their demand to visit the project site and assess the state of work.
“Following the visit of the Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello and subsequent meetings between the NLC, TUC, the Subscribers Association, and the Project Developer – Good Homes Limited, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA was appointed to Chair a resolution Committee with the mandate to resolve all the issues pertaining to the project.
“This Committee has met several times and has made some progress towards addressing the encumbrances by the developer which has militated against the project”,Mr Upah explained.
Upah said that the congress had responded to the attack by Mr Emeka Anuna with a petition to the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command.
Mr Anuna
The NLC also called on the management of the local newspapers to retract the story within seven days.
Peaceful protest
Speaking to VON exclusively, Mr Anuna insisted that the protest was a peaceful one having protested the same day at the residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory without any incident.
“We are just coming from the Minister’s residence where we carried out a protest on the same issue.
“It was from the Minister’s house we went to the Labour House where we were told that the NLC President was not in the office, somebody wanted to talk to us, we said no, it is the President or Secretary we want”.
He said they had finished at Labour house, however, with the arrival of the Labour president, the altercation started.
On why they resorted to protest to drive home their demand, Mr Anuna said that his association exhausted every avenue for dialogue both at the NLC and the FCT Minister’s offices.
He said that the subscribers have made different financial commitments to the project via borrowing from banks adding that even though non of them have received keys to their houses, they are already repaying the bank loans while some have died without benefiting from the project.
“See, the NLC President has less than a month to leave office and this matter is still pending, that is why we had to take the only available option left for us to get our message passed to the relevant authorities” Mr Anuna said.
Canada has announced that it will help facilitate talks aimed at ending years of separatist conflict in Cameroon.
Report says the talk is aimed at reaching a comprehensive peace deal.
“Canada welcomes the agreement by the parties to enter a process to reach a comprehensive, peaceful, and political resolution of the conflict,” Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said.
“The agreement to enter a formal process is a critical first step toward peace and a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous future for civilians affected by the conflict and Canada has accepted the mandate to facilitate this process,” she said.
“The parties have also agreed to form technical committees to begin work on confidence-building measures,” Ms. Joly added.
Meanwhile, Canada said parties to the talks were “the Republic of Cameroon, the Ambazonia Governing Council and the Ambazonia Defense Force, the African People’s Liberation Movement and the Southern Cameroons Defense Force, the Interim Government, and the Ambazonia Coalition Team.”
Cameroon’s primarily English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions have been gripped by conflict since separatists declared independence in 2017 after decades of grievances at perceived discrimination by the francophone majority.
The separatists’ entity, called the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, has no international recognition.
Report says President Paul Biya, who has ruled the African nation with an iron fist for 40 years, has resisted calls for wider autonomy and responded with a crackdown.
The conflict in the former French colony has claimed more than 6,000 lives and forced more than one million people to flee their homes, according to the International Crisis Group.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has congratulated the new Grand Kadi of the State’s Shariah Court of Appeal Hon. Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen.
Justice Kamaldeen has now been confirmed as the substantive Grand Kadi of Kwara State by the National Judicial Commission (NJC).
He was first appointed the Acting Grand Kadi on February 16, 2022 after his predecessor Justice Muhammad AbdulKadir retired from the service.
Notable ancestry
The Governor said the new Grand Kadi comes to the job highly recommended, owing to his personal accomplishments and his noble ancestry traced to great, pious scholars.
“We are convinced that the Grand Kadi will always make the state proud as the head of the Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal. The confirmation of his appointment comes as no surprise, given his pedigree as a disciplined and well-versed legal officer with impressive leadership credentials,” reports said.
The governor prayed God to guide and protect the new Grand Kadi, give him good health, and ease his affairs as he takes up this important role.
The popular reality TV show franchise, ‘The Real Housewives’, is set to debut in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The ‘Real Housewives’of Abuja marks the eighth version of the show in Africa, and will premiere exclusively on Showmax on February 17, 2023, with new episodes released every Friday.
Successful women
The new series will follow the luxurious lives of six influential and successful women in Abuja—Arafa, Comfort Booth, OJ Posharella, Princess Jecoco, Samantha Homossany and Tutupie— as they navigate their opulent lives, relationships, family and businesses within the city of power and wealth.
Arafa is an art entrepreneur, who is also a wife and mother of twin children.
On her part, Booth is a lawyer, social commentator, travel blogger and talk show host.
Meanwhile, Ojoma Sule, aka OJ Posharella, is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
On the other hand, Princess Jecoco is a lawyer, brand ambassador, influencer, content creator and hotelier. She is a married mother of two children.
Homossany is a wellness entrepreneur, who is passionate about art, fashion and style. She is married to an Abuja-based Israeli millionaire and is the mother of four children.
Tutupie is a certified chef and event curator.
In a statement sent to Saturday Beats, the executive head of content and West Africa channels at Multi-Choice, Busola Tejumola, stated that the show will explore the power and influence of Abuja through the eyes of featured women.
Pop star, Ayodeji Balogun, aka Wizkid, since he announced on social media earlier in the week that he would be going on a tour with his contemporary and perceived rival, David Adeleke, aka Davido, many fans have continued to express their excitement and list their expectations from proposed tour, which many had anticipated for years.
Wizkid had written, “After my MLLE tour!! Davido and I are going on tour! Save your coins! I no one hear pim!!”
The news was particularly pleasing to Davido’s fans because since he lost his only son, Ifeanyi, on Monday, October 31, 2022, he had kept a low profile. He stayed off social media, and even postponed his ‘Are We African Yet’ concert, which had been slated to hold on November 18, 2022. It was moved by a year to November 18, 2023.
However, the singer performed at the closing ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A picture of him and his wife he posted shortly before his performance is currently the most liked picture from Nigeria on Instagram.
As a result of his long break from the stage and limelight, many fans have been looking forward to when he would resume performing.
Fans comment
Lakayoflagos wrote on Instagram, “This coming event would be the most trending tour so far in the world.”
Frankasoft said, “The crowd will be massive.”
Seundreams said, “001 and Starboy; it’s about to be a movie”
Samvail aded, “What the world has been waiting for. It is going to be great.”
Some weeks before Wizkid’s announcement, popular comedian, Bovi Ugbomi had vowed to attend any concert where Davido would perform.
He wrote on Twitter, “I do not know the dates. But, anything Davido does this year; I’m in (sic) front row screaming myself sour. I am missing Davido like a babe that broke my heart.”
The Nigerian Air Force, (NAF) has operationalized the usage of all its new and modern platforms towards tackling terrorism and insurgency in the country.
The Nigerian Chief of the Air Staff, (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao disclosed this during an operational visit to the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety and 209 Quick Response Group, Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State, South West, Nigeria.
CAS stated that the NAF in recent time, has effectively operationalized the usage of new and modern platform in the battlefield.
According to him, these new and modern air assets are instrumental in the feats being recorded against terrorists and insurgents.
Air Marshal Amao, attributed the successes recorded by the NAF in the theatres of operation to the newly acquired JF-17 Thunder aircraft, A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles.
More focus
He maintained that the Nigerian military is winning the war against terrorism in the country, with the aid of these modem platforms.
He emphasized that more still need to be done to completely decimate and flush out the remnants of terrorists still preying on soft targets.
He however warned that being complacent at this point would be harmful to ongoing operations and called for more focus, vigilance and caution.
The CAS revealed that the NAF is expecting the delivery of additional new platforms which the President has approved for the Service.
The air assets, according to him, include: 2 Beechcraft King Air 360, 4 Diamond DA-62 surveillance aircraft, 3 Wing Long II UCAVs and 6 T-129 ATAK helicopters.
He further disclosed that there are ongoing acquisitions of 12 Agusta 109 Trekker multi-role helicopters and 24 M-346 attack aircraft.
He added that some of these additional platforms are expected to be delivered to the NAF before the end of first quarter 2023.
This, he said “would further boost NAF’s air power employment and projection capabilities as well as air combat training”.
General elections
The CAS urged NAF personnel to remain apolitical but only exercise their legal franchise which is the constitutional right to vote for any candidate of their choice. “we must continue to maintain our integrity and neutrality as a Service,”the CAS stressed.
Positive and unblemished
He further urged NAF personnel to remember that as custodians of Nigeria’s constitution, they must ensure that public perception of the NAF and the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains positive and unblemished.
The CAS was accompanied by the Air Officers Commanding Special Operations Command, Air Training Command, some Branch Chiefs and Directors from Headquarters NAF.
Novak Djokovic continued his charge towards a 10th Australian Open title with a superb 7-6 6-3 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov to reach the fourth round on Saturday but fears over the durability of his injured left hamstring grew.
The Serbian, who is eyeing a 22nd major title to match Rafa Nadal, said he felt “up and down” physically during the three hours and seven minutes he was on court as Dimitrov searched in vain for his second win over the fourth seed in their 11th meeting.
Fourth seed Djokovic looked uncertain in his movement during a roller-coaster first set where he began with a break, squandered three set points at 5-3 and dropped serve late on before edging a thrilling tiebreak.
“Well it (the tiebreak) was as important as any other game. But I think that probably was one of the most important moments in the match,” Djokovic told reporters.
“To prevail in the tiebreak and get a set ahead. Being a set down or a set up is a big difference. Mentally and physically… Kind of went up and down feeling physically with my leg.
“I just found a way to win in such an exciting match, big battle, over three hours for three sets. If I lost one of these sets, we could have gone the distance. God knows how long.
“We already had some matches over five hours during this tournament. This looked to be another one. I’m really fortunate to get through in straight sets.”
Medical Timeout
A heavily-strapped but more aggressive Djokovic emerged from a medical timeout and built pressure with his relentless returns from the back, going up 4-2 as 27th seed Dimitrov hit the net to surrender his serve, and went on to wrap up the second set.
A half-fit Djokovic can still be a handful for most players but he looked a little more certain of his mobility in the third set and a double break to start put him on the front foot before he limped to his chair and had treatment again at 4-1.
Dimitrov sprayed the errors — 50 in total — but continued to ask questions and won the next two games as the groans from the 35-year-old Djokovic grew louder during every point.
But an incredible 31-shot rally set up match point and Djokovic finally subdued his opponent to book a clash with Australian Alex de Minaur.
Operatives of Nigeria’s Anti-narcotic Agency, the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency NDLEA have destroyed over three hundred thousand kilograms of psychoactive substance also called cannabis in warehouses at Opuje forests in Edo state Southern Nigeria.
Three suspects and a police impersonator were apprehended in connection with the drugs.
The NDLEA’S spokesperson Mr Femi Babafemi in a press statement said “the Opuje community in Owan West Local Government Area, Edo State, is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where the cartels invest huge resources, cutting down economic trees of the forest reserves and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares”.
Babafemi explained that it took the NDLEA operatives hours of trekking in accessing the forest and ambush to apprehend the suspects.
Fake currency syndicate
In another development, the NDLEA busted a criminal syndicate involved in the trafficking of fake USD currency in Lagos through intelligence received from the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States on Thursday 19th January.
The agency in a combined operation with their EFCC counterparts, recovered a total of $269,000 counterfeit US dollars from the syndicate at Oniru Shoprite area of Lekki, Lagos, where three suspects were arrested.
The Chief Executive NDLEA Retired Brig. General Mohammed Bubba Marwa while commending all the officers involved in the two special operations in Edo and Lagos for their professionalism and commitment, directed that the fake dollars recovered and suspects arrested in the Lekki operation be immediately transferred to the EFCC for possible prosecution.
