Global Naija Info

Pastor Enoch Adeboye The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, says Pastor Enoch Adeboye remains the General Overseer of the church worldwide and that he has not retired. The church said Pastor Joseph Obayemi is just the Overseer of the church in Nigeria and did not mean that Adeboye has retired as he is still the spiritual head of the church worldwide. A memo from the church, signed by Pastor J.F. Odesola said the changes in RCCG was sequel to some legal provisos guiding the operations of registered religious organisations and Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria. According to the memo, “Kindly be informed that this new structure is particular to Nigeria alone, as Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Daddy G.O. remains the Spiritual leader and global missioner of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.” Also, a statement signed by Leke Adeboye, the clergyman’s last son and Personal Assistant said Adeboye remained the General Overseer of the church worldwide. The statement said the clarificat

Abakaliki rice Most residents in Enugu State have shifted patronage to locally produced rice, popularly called `Abakaliki rice’, as alternative staple food. A correspondent of NAN, who visited major markets in Enugu metropolis on Saturday, observed that the de-stoned brand of the local rice had flooded grain selling shops. The `Abakaliki rice’ now sells for between N12,000 and N14,000 per 50kg bag depending on variety; as against the foreign rice which is sold between N20,000 and N23,000 per 50kg bag. The markets visited included Gariki, Ogbete, Mayor, Artisan, Kayetta and New Markets as well as some departmental stores in the metropolis. Most rice retailers and hawkers who sell in cups and bushels, are currently stocking only the local rice. Mrs Eunice Madu, a grain seller in Mayor Market, said that almost all the stocked local rice bags had been bought during the yuletide leaving out the foreign rice in the shop. “I must confess we sold out almost all our available bag of `A

Gov. Abubakar receiving the report from the Committee Chairman, Alhaji Salihu Lukman Abubakar *To recover N66.56b from contractors, others *To invite EFCC, ICPC to probe Yuguda administration The High Powered Committee set up by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar to investigate all major contracts awarded in the state between 2007 and 2015 has indicted the administration of former Governor Isa Yuguda of N212.2 billion fraud. The committee said the money could not be properly accounted for by past administration and recommended that N66.56 billion should be recovered from various contractors, consultants, government officials and banks. The committee, under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Salihu Lukman Abubakar, submitted its report to Governor Abubakar at the weekend in which several irregularities were uncovered. In its report, various irregularities were discovered in the award and execution of contracts, payment of contractors, loans obtained and other financial impr

Ronaldo La Liga leaders Real Madrid equalled Barcelona’s Spanish record of 39 consecutive matches unbeaten as they swatted aside a woeful Granada. Zinedine Zidane’s side were 4-0 up after 32 minutes, with Isco slotting in their first from Karim Benzema’s pass. Benzema converted after Guillermo Ochoa spilled a Luka Modric shot, before Cristiano Ronaldo headed a third. Isco tapped in a Modric cross, and midfielder Casemiro touched home a fifth from James Rodriguez’s free-kick. Who will stop Real Madrid this season? Zidane’s side have not lost a competitive fixture since Wolfsburg defeated them in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last April. Victory here was never in doubt, as a rapid start against relegation-threatened opponents took them six points clear at the top of La Liga. They had a little bit of luck along the way. Benzema’s goal, Real’s second, should have been ruled out, as the France forward was clearly offside as he converted a loose ball pushed into

Rooney’s goals for United Wayne Rooney has moved level with Sir Bobby Charlton as Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer. The 31-year-old’s FA Cup strike against Reading took him to 249 in 543 games, reaching the landmark 215 matches and four seasons quicker than Charlton. The record had stood since 1973 but Rooney now seems certain to beat it. “This club is a huge part of my life and I’m honoured to be up there alongside Sir Bobby,” said Rooney following the 4-0 win. “It’s a proud moment. To do it at a massive club like Manchester United, I’m hugely honoured.” In 2015, Rooney surpassed World Cup winner Charlton’s England scoring record of 49 goals and has since taken his tally to 53. The United landmark comes during a season in which the England captain has been left out of the starting line-up for both club and country, his record-equalling goal being just his fourth of the campaign. The signs were there from the very start that Rooney’s could be a stellar Old Traff

Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney became Manchester United’s joint all-time leading scorer as the holders cruised into the FA Cup fourth round with victory over Reading. Rooney registered his 249th United goal inside 10 minutes to match the 44-year-old record of Sir Bobby Charlton, who was there to witness the moment. Anthony Martial added a crisp second as United bossed the first half. Marcus Rashford added the third before doubling his tally after a horrible error by Reading keeper Ali Al Habsi. The occasion marked an unhappy Old Trafford return for Reading boss and ex-United defender Jaap Stam, whose team may be flying high in third place in the Championship but were outclassed from the first whistle. For United, the good times keep rolling with this win their eighth in a row in all competitions and another confidence-booster before Tuesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Hull. Rooney has undoubtedly scored more attractive goals for United in his 543 games for the club since

Azu Ishiekwene Awujale” is one of the most forthright accounts of the personal odysseys of a traditional ruler who through longevity and other circumstances of life has earned immortality. The book is nearly seven years in print but I didn’t get a hold of it until sometime last year. Someone very close, whom I had told I wanted to interview Kabiyesi Oba Sikiru Adetona, had sent a copy over to me in Abuja. He advised me to read the book before the interview. I have since read the autobiography – Awujale – twice and was not disappointed. We have SaharaReporters to thank for an excerpt that removed the pin from the grenade. Anyone who has read Awujale might agree that it was a bomb waiting to explode. The surprise is why it took so long. In 17 chapters of lucid, clear-as-crystal writing in 275 pages, Adetona shares insights of his odyssey from the time he left Nigeria to study accounting abroad to his totally unexpected ascension to the throne at age 26; and from deeply personal fam

Femi Fani-Kayode For those that are troubled, that are grieving, that are suffering, that are deeply concerned and that are in a state of utter despondency and despair about what is happening in our country today and what the future holds, keep hope alive and hear this loud and clear. Many years from now history will record that it was not the tyranny and bondage of President Muhammadu Buhari, his minions and his government or the curse and affliction of Boko Haram, the Fulani militias and herdsmen or the almighty Caliphate that the oppressed people of Nigeria were up against. These people are not the enemy. They are merely the representatives, the low-level foot soldiers and the primitive enforcers of a greater satanic power that has sought to use them to create chaos in our nation, to subjugate our people in perpetuity, to establish a sacrificial blood bank, to wipe out our faith, to rob us of our identity and to corrupt and destroy our destiny and cherished values. What we are

FILE PHOTO: Kerosene Queue Alhaji Olanrewaju Okanlawon, a factional Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), in Kwara has ascribed the recurring hike in the price of kerosene to the unstable foreign exchange occasioned by the lingering economic recession. Okanlawon revealed in Ilorin on Saturday that the association should not be blamed for the series of complaints emanating from members of the public particularly from the domestic users of the cooking substance. He cleared the association of any deliberate move to inflict hardship on the masses, who he noted, were already facing hardship due to economic recession. He pointed out that it would be unfair to compound the economic situation of the people by needlessly jacking up the price of kerosene in an attempt to make additional profit. According to him, the domestic cooking commodity is being imported and the situation will persist unless government encourages right measures to stabilise t

File Photo: Lagosians besiege a filling station to buy kerosene which has become very scarce and expensive. Photo: IDOWU OGUNLEYE The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Saturday says there is no single drop of kerosene in the private and NNPC depots in Lagos. Mr Rotimi Benjamin, National Chairman Surface Tank Kerosene Peddlers (SUTAKEP) Branch of NUPENG disclosed in Lagos that the product was last brought to the depot on Dec.27. Benjamin who is also the Vice Chairman NUPENG Lagos Zonal Council said the scarcity of kerosene has increased the price, making it unaffordable for the masses. He urged the government to come to the aid of masses who could not afford the price of cooking gas by providing kerosene to the depots so that it would be available in the filling stations. “It is very sad that things are going on this way, for the past two weeks, there is no supply of kerosene to any of the depots in Lagos. “The two refineries have not produced kerosen

Niger Delta Militants The Federal Government has paid two out of four months outstanding stipends owed former Niger Delta militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme. Mr Ramsey Mukoro, leader of the 3rd phase of the amnesty programme, disclosed on Saturday that some former agitators had received two out of four months’ salary backlog. “The Amnesty Office has started paying but my third phase people have yet to get alerts, we are hoping that we in the third phase will benefit as well. “It has really been difficult for us and we spend Christmas and New Year on empty stomach, they should try and make it go round,’’ Mukoro said. Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, the Liaison Officer at the Bayelsa Office of the Presidential Amnesty Office, told NAN that the Amnesty office began the payment after the new year holidays. “The office commenced payment of the outstanding stipends this week after the new year, precisely on Wednesday. “The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coord

The building on fire Reports reaching PMNEWS now reveal that a building at Martins Street, near Balogun market (Oluwole) in Lagos Island is on fire. Witnesses say fire fighters have arrived the scene and doing everything possible to put out the fire. The building on fire Some traders are reportedly inside the building when it caught fire. Details later.

Ghana has a new president. He is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of New Patriotic Party (NPP). Akufo-Addo was sworn in as the president this morning. He was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Theodora Georgina Wood before thousands of people and African leaders at the inaugural ceremony, which held at the Black Stars square. He takes over from John Dramani Mahama.

Pastor Enoch Adeboye The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Saturday appointed a new General Overseer (GO) for the church as he retires, ahead of his 75th birthday on 2 March. The new General Overseer (GO) is Pastor Joshua Obayemi. Adeboye was born on March 2, 1942, in Ifewara, Osun State. Pastor Adeboye had his B.Sc. in Mathematics at University of Nigeria Nsukka, and subsequently got his PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Lagos, and worked as a lecturer in Mathematics at the universities of Lagos and Ilorin, before going into full time priesthood in 1984. After joining the RCCG in 1973, he began working to translate the sermons of its then Pastor and founder, Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, from Yoruba into English. In 1981, Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church. He took over from Papa Akindayomi, who had died the previous year. For three years he performed the role part-time, still lecturin

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of planning to divert N1.5 billion in grants from foreign donors to phony contracts. APC, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, in Akure on Saturday said the money was the accumulated foreign grants to Ondo State Wealth Creation Agency (WECA) and Multilateral Relation Department. “It has come to our knowledge, on good authority, that Ondo State Government, two days ago, specifically Jan. 4, 2017, took receipt of the N1.2 billion physical cash being amount deposited into the account of the Multilateral Relation Department of the Governor’s Office as accumulated grants from foreign donors. “Confirmed information also shown that another sum of N385 million was credited into the account of the Wealth Creation Agency (WECA) of Ondo State. The APC said it was sad that unpatriotic and unscrupulous elements within the highest echelon of

Fire Mr Oyekunle Kareem, the Oyo State Director of Fire Service, said 28 persons lost their lives in fire disasters that occurred across the state in 2016. Kareem, who disclosed this in an interview on Saturday in Ibadan, however, said that 23 lives were rescued from the disasters during the period. According to him, properties worth N41.9 billion were saved in 387 fire outbreaks across the state during the period under review. “There was a considerable reduction in the number of fire disasters that occurred in 2016 when compared with the 2015 records, for instance, 645 cases of fire incidents and 38 deaths were recorded in 2015. “The reduction could be attributed to the quick response of our personnel to emergency calls, enlightenment campaigns, radio and television jingles to educate the general public on fire management. “Our focus in 2017 is to bring down fire incidents to zero level or minimise it to the barest minimum but we appeal to government not to relent in providing

Alassane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast Heavy gunfire was heard on Saturday near military camps in two cities in Ivory Coast, where disgruntled soldiers launched revolts a day earlier over salaries and bonuses, residents and a soldier said. Shooting began at around 6 a.m. (0600 GMT) in Bouake, the West African nation’s second-largest city of around half a million inhabitants. Residents also reported hearing shooting throughout the night at an army base in the northern city of Korhogo. “The shooting is very heavy right now at the 3rd Battalion. “I am nearby and I heard it like it was right next to us,’’ Bouake resident, Konan Benoit told newsmen by telephone as gunfire could be heard on the line. Zie Silue, who lives in Korhogo, said the gunfire there had stopped by the early morning. “It is calm now, but residents are being careful, there is practically no traffic, although shops are closed,’’ he said. Ivory Coast – French-speaking West Africa’s largest economy – has emerg

Gov Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State says Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, will resume academic activities on or before Feb. 1. In a statement issued by Mr Yomi Layinka, the governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy on Saturday, the governor said arrangements had been concluded to re-open the university. The statement said the decision to re-open the school was the agreement reached after a meeting with the national, zonal and state leadership of the students’ unions in his office on Jan. 6. Ajimobi also said the agreement was made during a discussion with Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, of Osun, the stakeholders and LAUTECH Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin. He said the various discussions and decisions were aimed at finding a lasting solution to the debacle. Academic activities in the university had been grounded for eight months due to the strike by the academic and non-academic staff. The academic and

File photo: Some Arik Air passengers stranded in Lagos Several passengers, including children, were stranded at Kaduna International Airport since on Tuesday, following the failure of Arik Airlines to airlift them as scheduled. Some of the disappointed passengers made the complaint to the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, at the airport during the on-the-spot assessment of the facilities on ground at the airport. They lamented that they had been parading the airport since on Tuesday just to board Arik air from Kaduna to Lagos to no avail without any explanation or apology from the airline officials. They described the attitude of the operators of the airline as nonchalant because there was no notification by any means. They added that it was until after the passengers approached the minister to complain that one of the official told them to come back on Saturday. The airline was said to have been cancelling its flight without considering the distance they travell

Right: Dr. Pereira Sheteolu, Programme Manager of the Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority, who represented the Special Adviser to the Governor on Food Security, Alhaji Sanni Okanlawon, receiving an award on behalf of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s at Taste of Lagos: Celebrity Edition held in Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, has been honoured with the Grand Promoter of ‘Eat Nigeria’ Project Award 2016 at the maiden celebrity edition of ‘Taste of Lagos,’ which took place at the Freedom Park, Lagos. Organisers of the event, Iconic Events Ltd, said Governor Ambode was honoured with the award in recognition of his government’s commitment to food security and tourism. Taste of Lagos is an annual event that aims at celebrating the indigenous cuisines of Lagos whilst establishing the city of Lagos in the league of other famous City-based Food and Drinks festival such as Taste of Dubai; Taste of London; Taste of Cape Town and Taste of Chicago, amongst several others.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor In its final Monetary Policy Committee meeting for 2016, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) held its main interest rate, the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), at 14% in November. Price stability and the limitation of monetary policy in affecting output were the main reasons for sticking with its tighter monetary stance, which began with a two percentage point rate hike in July. Most economists surveyed by Reuters expected this decision, a rare consensus in a year marked by inconsistent policies from the CBN that made their moves hard to predict. The Inflation and Output Battle MPR decisions prior to July suggested the apex bank was attempting to kickstart economic growth at the expense of inflation. In November 2015, it decreased interest rates despite inflation breaking above its unofficial 6-9% target. A lot has changed since then. Firstly, inflation accelerated much faster than anticipated. When the CBN increased the money supply in November 2015, infl

The arraigned suspected kidnappers of Oniba of Iba at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere – Duba Furejo; Ododomo Isaiah; Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh. Some Lagos-based lawyers have lauded the Lagos State House of Assembly for passing into law the bill stipulating the death penalty for the offence of kidnapping. The lawyers disclosed in Lagos on Saturday that the measure would serve as a workable deterrence to kidnappers in the country. The House on Friday, January 6, passed into law, a bill aimed at checking the spate of kidnapping with stiffer penalties, including death sentence for offenders. The lawmakers passed the Bill for a Law to Provide for the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping and for Other Connected Purposes after the third reading. The passage of the bill was also sequel to the adoption of a report presented by Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC). Spo