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Soludo renames Anambra Cargo Airport after Chinua Achebe

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Soludo renames Anambra Cargo Airport after Chinua Achebe

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has renamed the state’s International Passenger and Cargo Airport after the late Chinua Achebe, a novelist, to immortalise him for making an indelible mark on the history of human civilisation.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Achebe a native of Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, died on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

Soludo said this on Sunday in Awka at the Independence Day parade, to mark Nigeria’s 63rd anniversary, describing Achebe as an example of Africa’s unsung hero.

 

“Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic, gave the African literature an identity and a voice and he rightly reconstructed and refined the identity of the people,” he said.

 

The governor said that Achebe was not just an Anambra hero nor a Nigerian hero, but an African and global hero and yet largely unsung at home.

 

He said that henceforth, the state shall be deliberate in fishing out and celebrating its largely unsung heroes as motivation to children and youths.

 

“Unfortunately, some people wrongly think of legacies in terms of brick and mortar. Legacy is about its impact on human life and human civilisation.

 

“Achebe was not a president or governor or military. He did not build bridges or roads or airports but he will outlive most presidents, governors and ministers in our minds.

 

“Achebe rejected Nigeria’s national honours twice in protest against what he perceived as injustice to his home state Anambra. Today, Anambra will finally honour him.

 

“After wide consultations, there is a broad consensus that no one is more deserving to be named after the first airport in Anambra than Anambra’s all-time greatest literary gift to the world, Chinua Achebe.

 

“Consequently, we will rename the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, to Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri.

 

“Yes, it has to be an international airport, and we hope to work with the Federal Government to give full effect to its international status,” he said.

 

Soludo urged Nigerians to be intentional about making the project Nigeria work and believe in the potential greatness of the country.

 

“We have muddled through the past 63 years with squandered opportunities and yet with the promise of potential greatness.

 

“No country or nation is perfect. Every nation continues to struggle in its match to a more perfect union. The path to stability, growth and sustainability will be challenging as there are no quick fixes.

 

“But all of us must collectively think and work Nigeria out of the current challenges. We have no other country but Nigeria, and we must make it work for everyone,“ he said.

 

The governor said his administration was founded on the true progressive agenda and would continue to create the enabling environment for residents to thrive and survive.

 

NAN reports that the police, paramilitary organisations and students from different schools took part in the parade.

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NJC RECOMENDS ELEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE, HEADS OF COURT 

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The National Judicial Commision has recommended the appointment of 11 Supreme Court Justices, one Justice of Court of Appeal, 6 Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers.

 

This was the consencus at the Councils 104 Meeting after considering the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee

 

 

According to a statement signed by the Director Of Information, Soji Oye, the council after much deliberations, recommended Justice Hannatu Sankey, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Haruna Tsammani and

Justice Aseimo Adumein as Supreme court Justices.

 

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Jamilu Tukur, Justice Abubakar Umar, and Justice Mohammed Idris.

 

The NJC also recommended Justice Mohammed Ramat as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

 

Some heads of court nominated are Justice Joel Agya, as the Chief Judge Taraba State,

Justice Umar Abubakar, Chief Judge of Taraba State amongst others.

 

The Council has said that all recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

 

NJC has also noted that the various Heads of Court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various State Governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective State Houses of Assembly.

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied comments by it’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede which labelled seventy percent of Nigerian Students as internet fraudsters.

 

 

 

While stating this in a Statement by the Head, Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the Commission says it is a misrepresentation of the concerns of the Chairman of the EFCC to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving Youths across the Country.

 

 

 

It explains that its Chairman had called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud at a meeting with Representatives of the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that paid him a visit in Abuja.

 

 

 

Olukoyede says that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless the trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of Nigeria may be threatened and if it continues in the next ten years, seven out ten of the youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.

 

 

The EFCC says that at no time did its Chairman mentioned that “seven out of ten” Nigerian students are criminals” as widely reported.

 

 

 

The Commission assures the public that its Chairman is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian Youths and underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.

 

 

The Statement added that the concerns of the EFCC Chairman bothers on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

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NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

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NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Bishop Matthew Kukah have emphasized the urgent need to reposition political parties, fostering a democratic culture centered on inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.

 

The call was made during the Public Presentation of the Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria, organized by the Kukah Centre with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), held in Abuja.

 

Represented by Sen. Victor Umeh, Akpabio highlighted that the repositioning of political parties is vital to restoring public trust and confidence, ensuring they genuinely represent the aspirations of the people. He identified accountability, inclusivity, transparency, and inherent impunity as significant challenges that must be addressed.

 

Akpabio expressed optimism in the 10th National Assembly to tackle these issues, stressing the importance of holding party leaders accountable for their actions. He called for increased transparency in party financing and campaign expenditures, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in the political process.

 

Bishop Matthew Kukah, the Founder of the Kukah Foundation, explained that the event aimed to address challenges faced by political parties and inspire confidence in politics. He emphasized the role of political parties as platforms for training and deploying politicians to serve the public good.

 

Kukah underlined the importance of understanding political party processes, particularly for young individuals with a vision for forming political parties. He highlighted the significance of the needs assessment in recommending options for parties to become ideological engines for driving political processes and democracy.

 

The report, drawing from academic analysis and interviews with ordinary citizens, recommended a constant review of the Electoral Act, incorporation of the opposition in the political process, and innovative ways of financing political parties.

 

Olawunmi Laolu, Programme Manager at EU-SDGN, stressed the need for political parties to strengthen internal democracy, improve intra and inter-party dialogue, and promote wide participation in the political process. She expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s progress and urged political parties to lead by example in advancing democracy in the region.

 

Stakeholders such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) were present at the event.

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