Following directives of the leadership of the National Assembly, security operatives have blocked the entrance of the National Assembly complex preventing striking workers from gaining entry.

The security agents including the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives on Tuesday barricaded the main entrance with patrol vans.

The presence of the security operatives has led to restricted access at the three arms zone gate. Operatives are frisking persons including journalists and construction workers before they are allowed entrance.

Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) are not allowed into the complex.

The leadership of the National Assembly had earlier directed the Police and DSS to ensure adequate security within the vicinity of the National Assembly from Tuesday morning.

This according to the leadership of the Senate, is to enable members and staff come in and perform their legitimate duties without any hindrance.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, said on Monday that the directive was passed down after a meeting of the joint leadership of the two chambers with the management and representatives of the security agencies.

Workers of the National Assembly under the umbrella body of PASAN on Monday grounded activities at the National Assembly in protest of what they called poor working conditions.

A similar protest was held two weeks ago when the workers demanded increased salaries, promotions, among other things.

The demands of PASAN include a new condition of service for members, promotion, and payment of 28 per cent increment in salary captured as contained in the 2018 budget.

The leadership of the National Assembly has directed the Police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) to ensure adequate security within the vicinity of the National Assembly from Tuesday’s Plenary.

A statement issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sanni Omolori, on Monday, urged the security agencies to take charge so that members and staff can come in and perform their legitimate duties without any hindrance.

The directive was passed down after a meeting of the joint leadership of the two chambers with the management and representatives of the security agencies.

The meeting was called by the political leadership to listen to the management led by the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) on efforts made so far to address the grievances of the striking staff.

“The leadership of the National Assembly called the meeting because they know that almost all the issues raised by the striking workers were being addressed by the management.

“After listening to the CNA, it was unanimously agreed that the management had made sufficient plans and efforts to address all the grievances of the workers and ensure their happiness.

“We were sure that the issues raised by the workers have been well attended to and that it is necessary for the business of the National Assembly to continue without any disturbance.

“Both chambers must hold their normal plenary tomorrow morning to prepare the ground for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 to present the budget proposal to the joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“We have therefore mandated the security agencies to perform their duty of maintaining law and order in the National Assembly Complex and its surrounding.

“They must enforce the laws which allow the striking workers to down tools if they choose to and also the ones which restrain them from disturbing those who choose to work or stop parliamentarians from entering the chambers or their offices to do the work for which they were elected.

“Senators and members of the House of Representatives, their aides, other workers and people who have legitimate business within the National Assembly Complex are therefore advised to come in as they will be free to operate without any hindrance and molestation,” it said.

The National Assembly Leadership added that if the President Buhari is unable to present the budget proposal on Wednesday as scheduled, Nigerians should hold the security agencies responsible for failing in their responsibility.

This is the smallest unit of law practice in Nigeria and it is the most common. It is the unit of practice involving one legal practitioner practicing alone, but employing supporting staff (non lawyers) to assist him in the office. He establishes the law firm alone, practices alone, provides capital alone and manages the law firm alone. He does not employ any other lawyer, just non-lawyers as support staff.

The features of legal sole practitionership are:

• He provides the capital of the firm and manages the firm.
• He does the legal work since there is no other lawyer to whom work can be delegated.
• It is the smallest unit of organisation of a law firm in Nigeria.
• It is the commonest one in Nigeria as more than 70% of law firm in Nigeria are sole practitionership.

Advantages of Legal Sole Practitionership

• It enhances quick decision making as he does not need to consult anybody
• He keeps all the profit realized from the business.
• It is easy to set up as there is less financial implication and less administrative procedure to be followed before establishment.
• He is always more committed in the sense that he knows that his failure is the failure of the entire business.
• He enjoys freedom as he is not under control.
• He takes the full credit for the success of the law firm.

Disadvantages of Legal Sole Practitionership

• He bears all the risk and loss alone.
• He considers the issues in a brief alone and bears all the legal work alone
• He can only rely on his own understanding of the law as a beginner.
• He has a problem of attracting clients as he is alone in the business and so his client base will be small
• He has no time for holiday and relaxation and as such, he is affected generally and health wise.
• It does not encourage specialization in comparison with where there are other practitioners.
• His law practice dies with the sole practitioner.

By Felicia Imohimi

Saleh Ndaski, the Head of Nursing Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has called for adequate training and retraining, as well as motivation of nurses for quality healthcare delivery in the country.

Ndaski made the call at the annual national conference of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) Federal Health Institutions Sector in Abuja.

The conference has as its theme Nursing Models/Theories for Effective Nursing Practice.

The NANNM head described nurses as custodians of patients and the only healthcare providers who worked 24 hours.

He said nurses required continuous training to keep them abreast of emerging trends in the health sector.

He added that nurses require adequate training and retraining because healthcare problems are emerging and a lot of diseases are coming up and they need to be abreast with such problems and how to effectively tackle them.

Nurses require motivation to be able to provide the best of services required of them as majority of them are not well motivated and this is a major gap in quality care.

Ndaski noted that a lot of reforms were done in the profession with regard to scientific discovery.

He, however, added that a lot of theories and models that existed in the practice were not fully utilised by nurses due to lack of adequate knowledge, decayed infrastructure, among others.

He said that those theories and models provide nurses with perfect care and services, as well as quality healthcare delivery.

According to him, nurses are always concerned about patients having the best of care within the health sector, hence the theme of the conference.

Mr Wale Olatunde, the National Chairman of NANNM, reiterated the determination of the association to regulate the activities of Nigerian nurses and midwives in the most effective manner.

This, he said would ensure best practices and safeguard best healthcare delivery for all Nigerians.

According to him, the theme of the conference is carefully selected based on the nurses conviction that there must be shift from theory development to theory utilisation in health facilities.

Olatunde said this would help to restore proper relationship between theory and practice.

Nursing is now in the era of utilisation of philosophies, models and theories for clinical nursing practice, he said.

The chairman said that the theme was aimed at enhancing the capacity of the professionals and equipping them intellectually to select a theoretical work that would guide their daily clinical practice.

This remains one of the practical ways in which we can help to reverse the current rating of the countrys health indices.

The effectiveness of clinical nursing services remain critical in determination of quality health care services.

The conference, according to him, is part of the associations contributions toward complementing governments efforts in its drive to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the citizens.

Mr Faruk Abubakar, the Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, urged the nurses to deliver their duty with all diligence by prioritising the interest of patients.

Abubakar urged them to always discharge their duties to the best of their ability.

He said that nurses should consider the plights of patients in order to achieve quality care, which is the sole aim of nursing or other professional practices in the health sector.

Source: NAN

The federal government has proposed a meeting with the independent oil marketers as one of the measures aimed at averting fuel crisis this Yuletide season.

The oil marketers have threatened to shut down their depots over continued non-payment of oil subsidies by the federal government.

But the presidency and the National Assembly in a swift reaction, have appealed to the marketers to give them a little more time to sort out issues bordering on non-payment of oil subsidies within the next few days.

Making the disclosure after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa, said both the president and himself had critically examined the matter and a strong commitment would be made to promptly resolve the matter.

According to Marafa, delay in payment of the subsidies, which he said was inherited by the current government, was caused by technicalities bordering on forex differentials and attendant interest.

Marafa also said bureaucracy surrounding computation of figures had further

compounded the matter adding that the oil marketers are not happy with the Ministry of Finance over its handling of the matter.

That is what I said, so we are now talking of technicalities, there is fuel in the country, in our seas, in our depots all across the country. But there are some technicalities now regarding payment of subsidies, forex differentials and interest, which this government inherited.

They are not a creation of this government. However, government is a continuum and when the president came in, he was confronted with it and he agreed and said, fine, I have stopped subsidy but since there are claims, we will look into it and pay.

But now, the bureaucratic nature of the computations is what dragged up to this time and depot owners are not too happy with what the Ministry of Finance has done and maybe some other agencies.

So, we have been on it in the Senate and the House of Representatives for almost two weeks now. Finally, today, I have had quality time with the president and we have looked into the whole thing.

By next week, we will invite all the stakeholders. I believe we should be able to get to the root of the matter. As for the depot owners, we are going to plead with them again to give more time, especially now that we have discussed with the head of the executive arm of government.

So, Im sure everything will be resolved in the next few days, he added.

Marafa also said the need for diligent handling of the matter had become imminent if sabotage by some unscrupulous individuals who want to orchestrate fuel crisis, despite availability of fuel which can last for six months must be averted.

He added, There has been some disquiet in the industry regarding marketers payment with Ministry of Finance, (Debt Management Office) DMO and the Central Bank, which we feel if not carefully handled, some enemies of the administration might bring about technical issues that could lead to queues on the line, especially as government has provided enormous quantities of petroleum products across the country that can last the country up to six months through NNPC.

So, some people are not too happy about it and they want to sabotage the efforts of the government.

Source: NAN

Afro pop sensation, Ayodeji Balogun aka Wizkid, stormed Abuja to entertain thousands of residents on Sunday night.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Abuja residents thronged out for the concert tagged Wizkid Live In Concert.

The event, held at Transcorp Hilton, was organised by Play Network.

The show caused a gridlock at the Wuse area as revellers trooped out to watch the Ojuelegba crooner perform.

Only Wizkid can pull this kind of ABJ crowd

Only Wizkid can pull this kind of ABJ crowd #wizkidliveinabuja #starboy pic.twitter.com/blqSajlGza

— Romzy David (@romzy_rhe) December 16, 2018

In his electrifying performance, Wizkid took the crowd on a memory ride, singing his hit songs from the early Tease Me and Ojuelegba to newest Soco.

NAN reports that the mostly-reserved Abuja crowd was obviously loosened up at the concert as they danced and sang along at the top of their voices.

Reacting to the concert, guests took to social media to appreciate Wizkid for the performance.

@Dres_knowsbest tweeted, Ive waited 5 years to see @wizkidayo live and it was amazing!! Thank u wizzes for grabbing my phone!

@PaulGaje said, @wizkidayo made my night. Please come again.

@ZhinnEmmanuel tweeted, Thank you so much @wizkidayo That was amazing.

Yesterday's show in PH a fan climbed the stage to hug Wizkid & was thrown down in WWE Style ☹😭#GCBA pic.twitter.com/i4rQPLs2gM

— KinG NomSo👑 (@ani_nomso) December 15, 2018

NAN reports that the concert comes after Wizkids performance in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Yesterdays show in PH a fan climbed the stage to hug Wizkid

The federal government says that talks with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have so far been fruitful, expressing optimism that the ongoing strikewill soon be called off.

The governments optimism, according to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,is predicated on the federal governments consideration of some of ASUUs demands.

the demands include the submission of the unions list of outstanding payments, and the identification of some areas in the universities in need of revitalisation as containedin the signed 2009 agreement.

The minister said talks with the union have so far been productive and fruitful, adding that the federal government was optimistic that the strike would soon be called off to pave way for students to resume academic activities.

He said: There are areas that are still outstanding which we are going to address on the 17th. We have the issue of shortfall of salaries, that of some federal university workers. ASUU has given a list to the office of the Accountant General.

We agreed that by Wednesday that the list will be checked to find out really whether those universities were actually paid and they have to be visited and paid the outstanding lecturers there. So, the Accountant Generals office is to come back to us.

We have also the issue of Earned Academic Allowance and the issue of revitalisation. These are issues of 2009 agreement. We will look into the consideration and we have identified one area of the fund for revitalisation.

The federal government organs will be contacted and we do expect that we will have some words for ASUU. Same goes for the earned allowances. We will make sure that the issue of the outstanding amounts is handled in a way that all parties will be properly accommodated, he said.

Ngige revealed that during the talks, the quality of graduates from state-owned universities was brought to focus with a view to upgrading the standard of education in order to meet with global standards.

He said state owned universities are not producing graduates that can be employed as several are lacking in competitive skills. He said the federal government through the ministry of education will engage with the Nigeria Governors Forum and will chart a way forward.

We also discussed the issue of state universities and since education is on concurrent list, the universities should be properly funded and staffed, so that we do not produce half baked graduates from those universities. And towards realising that, the ministry of education will engage the Nigeria Governors Forum. The minister of education is taking steps towards that direction and will organise that interaction.

Engaging them directly and giving professional advice is what the ministry will do. These are some of the issues we discussed and to me; the discussions were fruitful. We want the children to go back to school, he added.

Meanwhile, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), has vowed to vehemently resist any attempt by the federal government to privatise public hospitals in the country. The unionwarned that privatisation of public hospitals is a threat to the survival of Nigerians in terms of health.

The MHWUN President, Biobelemoye Josiah, handed down the warning while donating items worth about N2 million to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Durumi, a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Insisting that it was the responsibility of the government to provide affordable healthcare services to the people, the MHWUN president said: What we are saying is that public health institutions are institutions of public good. These are institutions that are meant to provide healthcare for the downtrodden, the poor and the vulnerable.

But there is a conspiracy by capitalists to ensure that they take these health facilities from the reach of the common man in the guise of privatisation. We are not against a private man using his own money to build a health facility, equip it and keep it for the affluent, especially those who have looted our country and have made it big.

They can establish these hospitals for them, but they should leave the public hospitals for the common man.Public Private Partnership (PPP) has failed in the health sector worldwide. There is no PPP that can make malaria treatment cheaper.

Go to all the hospitals that PPP has been introduced in Nigeria; it has taken healthcare away from the reach of the poor and the vulnerable, he said.

Source: NAN

26-year-old popular Nigerian musician, Mr David Adeleke, also called Davido, is gradually sliding into politics as he names Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike as his Godfather.

Davido of the popular and wealthy Adelekes family in Osun state, also on Sunday promised to work for the re-election of Wike, the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

I am also here to see my godfather, Gov. Wike and to support his second term bid.

I am planning a talent hunt show in Port Harcourt, one of the lucky artistes will perform at my show in Lagos on Dec. 27, he said.

The musician, who made the pledge in Port Harcourt on Sunday when he visited the Rivers Governor, also said he would also institute a talent hunt show for Rivers-based artistes.

He said the programme would be in line with his discussions with the State Government to support new generation artistes in the state.

The musician was in Port Harcourt for a musical show tagged: Plugged, where he was billed to perform alongside other Rivers-based artistes.

Davido said he was also in Port Harcourt to wish Wike a happy birthday, adding that in the forthcoming year, there were several things he was planning for the good of the music industry.

Davido who also celebrated his 26th birthday on November 11, was accompanied by the organiser of the show, Mr Chima Aguma, and Music Promoter, Soso Soberekon.

In his remarks, Gov. Wike promised to support the entertainment industry, to create jobs for the youth.

Davido, a singer, songwriter and record producer hit the wave in 2011 single Dami Duro.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Army has called for the closure of the Amnesty International offices in Nigeria, alleging there is credible evidence the organisation is working hard to destabilise the country.

The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement on Monday that the organisations attempt to destabilise the nation was noted through fabrication of fictitious allegations of alleged human rights abuses against the Nigerian security forces.

Usman also alleged the AI had engaged in clandestine sponsorship of dissident groups to protest, as well as unfounded allegations against the leadership of the Nigerian military.

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Enough is Enough, and BudgIT) have recently called for the probing of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over the funding of the war against terrorism and other crimes in the country.

The CSOs alleged the army had not made commensurate achievement in the fight in line with the huge fund the federal government allocated to the fight.

The COAS, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had however explained that some of the allocated funds has yet to be cash backed and that it had not reached the army.

Usman said the Nigerian branch of AI that has hitherto been well respected has deviated from the core values, principles and objectives of the original parent body in the United Kingdom.

They have tried over the years using Boko Haram terrorists conflicts, Islamic Movement in Nigeria, some activists and now herders-farmers conflicts.

The NGO is at the verge of releasing yet another concocted report against the military, ostensibly against the Nigerian Army.

Consequently, Nigerians should be wary of Amnesty International (Nigeria) because its goals are to destabilise Nigeia and to dismember it.

The Nigerian Army has no option than to call for the closure of Amnesty International offices in Nigeria, if such recklessness continues.

It was not the first time the Nigerian army and Amnesty International would have some misunderstanding over the latters various reports on human rights in the country.

Source: NAN

Nigerian showbiz maestro and rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy, has formally walked his American wife, Diane, down the aisle after 40 years of cohabitation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the marriage produced three children.

Charlyboy and Diane exchanged marriage vows on Saturday evening at the Chapel of Sisters of Jesus the Redeemer Catholic Church in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

The low-keyed wedding was officiated by the outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Mathew Kukah, and had in attendance close friends and relatives of the couple, including the aged mother of Charlyboy.

The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, was also in attendance among some other clergymen.

The couple exchanged the “I do” vows amidst cheers from the congregation.

They thereafter signed the marriage register.

Onaiyekan, in his exhortation, hailed the couple for staying together for over four decades.

He, however, urged them to be committed to their marriage vows by showing mutual love, understanding and respect for each other.

”I specially congratulate Charles and his wife for this Godly decision, and I pray God to keep them together.”

Charlyboy told NAN on the sidelines that he and his wife decided to wed in church to honour his aged mother who had been ‘pleading that we do the right thing’.

He told NAN that he got married as a teenager in 1974, and secured divorced after the union produced one child.

He noted that the Catholic Church observed a strict marital doctrine.

”This is not that kind of marriage with fanfare; I am doing it to please my aged mother and meet certain demands of the society.

”She has been pleading that we do the right thing, saying this is the woman I have been living with for 40 years.

”We have been following through with the process of annulment of my last marriage, and my former wife who has since remarried cooperated very well, and then in 2017, the marriage was formally annulled.

”My mother actually got the wife for me at the age of 19 because I was a little rascally with women as a young man; she thinks it would curb my sexual excesses,” he said.

Charlyboy, who is 67 years, has nine children from different women, and has 16 grandchildren.

He has, however, always regarded Diane as the mother of all his children. (NAN)

Students have joined Nigerian leaders, including ex-military leader Ibrahim Babangida to felicitate with President Muhammadu Buhari who will celebrate his 76th birthday on Monday.

The National Association of Nigerian Students’ (NANS) National Public Relations Officer, Mr Bestman Okereafor, issued a birthday message on Sunday in Enugu.

Okereafor said that Buhari, who is also the Chairman of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), had displayed great commitment in repositioning Africa for growth and economic sustainability.

“The national secretariat of NANS joins the World, ECOWAS and Progressive minded Nigerians in wishing our beloved President and ECOWAS Chairman, Muhammadu Buhari, a happy 76th birthday.

“Mr President, no doubt, has consistently displayed an unrivaled commitment to a better Africa and Nigeria.

“Nigerian students both home and in Diaspora are sincerely praying that God upholds, strengthen and preserve you, Mr President.

“We also pray that God help you lead this country in the right direction of progress, peace and prosperity for all,’’ he said.

Okereafor, however, said that NANS was also calling on Buhari to consider a cabinet reshuffle.

“There is a need to bring on board young, fresh and capable hands into your cabinet to man critical and growing areas especially in some sectors of the nation’s economy,’’ he added.

Babangida had also heaped praises on President Buhari, acknowledging that the man he toppled in a coup d’etat in 1985 has remained focused and shown tremendous energy and vibrancy in running the affairs of Nigeria since 2015.

Babangida also acknowledged Buhari’s patriotism and commitment to serve the nation diligently with honesty and sincerity of purpose.

Babangida noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has been “an excellent role model to many young aspiring politicians and even to the not-so-young, because of the way and manner you have managed to sustain the survival of our country as an indivisible one nation albeit in the face of many daunting diversions.”

“You achieved great success in the fight against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in addition to getting our country out of economic recession.

“I wish to congratulate you for all the achievements you have recorded in your lifetime and particularly for your humility, deep sense of honesty and faith you have shown in the various aspects of governance, politics and democracy as our President.”

” As we get over our mid-seventies, we can say with all sense of modesty that we should celebrate every birthday anniversary with prayers in order for us to thank Allah for all the blessings and the bounties He showered upon us.

“It is only fair that we pause and reflect in our own different ways on all the life’s challenges we face day by day and the positive strides we have been blessed to attain.”

“ A typical day in the life of a Nigerian President requires faith, poise, patience, tenacity, experience, strategic thinking and quality character for one to get through it.”

“I join the first lady, Aisha and all your children and grandchildren in wishing you many happy returns of your birthday.

” Aisha’s loyalty and support, as the home front commander, is invigorating since by our age we require much comfort, care and affection at home. Welcome to our club of the over 75, ”he concluded.

President Buhari was born in Daura 0n 17 December, 1941 and after his early education in both Daura and Katsina, he joined the army in 1961, one year ahead of Babangida, who joined in 1962.

Also Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state felicitated with President Buhari and praised his resilience in trying to build the nation.

Presidents Muhammadu Buhari, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger and Idriss Deby Itno of Chad have renewed their commitment to fight the Boko Haram terrorists and bring their insurgency to an end.

The leaders, along with President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin and Prime Minister of Cameroon, Philemon Yang, made the vow in Abuja Saturday, at the meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

It was their second meeting in three weeks, following another meeting in Ndjamena at the end of November.

Also at the Abuja meeting were the Ministers of Defence of Lake Chad Basin Commission Member Countries and the Chiefs of Defence Staff of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic

The African leaders made their position known in a communiqu issued at the end of the summit convened by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Mamman Nuhu, read the English version of the communique.

The regional leaders agreed to seek the support of the community leaders to strengthen the fight against terrorism.

The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Regional Stabilisation Strategy in the areas of Lake Chad affected by the Boko Haram crisis.

The Regional Stabilisation Strategy was recently endorsed by the African Union Peace and Security Council.

They, therefore, agreed to implement the Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) within the limit of available resources to provide immediate relief to the communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

While expressing appreciation to the African Union Peace and Security Council for renewing the yearly mandate of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for the year 2019, the leaders also commended LCBC partners and international community for their support and contributions.

They, however, urged them to extend additional assistance to the LCBC/MNJTF to eradicate the Boko Haram insurgency and to reinforce global peace and security.

The regional leaders also directed the Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff to meet regularly to assess the security situation and the efforts being made to bring an end to the insurgency.

They also thanked President Buhari for his inspiring leadership as Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Lake Chad Basin Commission.

Source: NAN

The pastor of a megachurch in South Carolina, United States has defended buying a $200,000 Lamborghini luxury car as gift for his wife on their eighth wedding anniversary.

Pastor John Gray captured headlines over the weekend after an Instagram video taken of the moment he handed his wife the keys to the bow-wrapped “Lamborghini Urus” on Saturday went viral.

Gray, who is the pastor of Relentless Church, later stressed online that he had purchased the vehicle for his wife, while rebutting critics who raised suggestions about whether he bought the car with church money.

The pastor of a megachurch in South Carolina, United States has defended buying a $200,000 Lamborghini luxury car as gift for his wife on their eighth wedding anniversary.

Pastor John Gray captured headlines over the weekend after an Instagram video taken of the moment he handed his wife the keys to the bow-wrapped “Lamborghini Urus” on Saturday went viral.

Gray, who is the pastor of Relentless Church, later stressed online that he had purchased the vehicle for his wife, while rebutting critics who raised suggestions about whether he bought the car with church money.

“First of all, it wasn’t a pastor that bought the car. It was a husband that bought the car,” Gray said in the video. “I’m a husband first. Don’t confuse what I do with who I am. What I do is I pastor God’s people. Who I am is a husband and a father and I’ll do anything to honour them. And I won’t ask permission from anybody to do it.” — Pastor John Gray

“First of all, it wasn’t a pastor that bought the car. It was a husband that bought the car,” Gray said in the video.

“I’m a husband first. Don’t confuse what I do with who I am. What I do is I pastor God’s people. Who I am is a husband and a father and I’ll do anything to honour them. And I won’t ask permission from anybody to do it.”

“My wife has pushed for my dreams and my vision, and she has toiled with a man who is still trying to find himself,” Gray continued. “That carries a weight. I wanted to honor her for how she’s covered me.”

“What should concern people who are actually genuinely concerned is ‘did this man use any money from the church to do this?’ And the answer is no, absolutely not,” he continued.

Some critics pointed to the pastor’s association with Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen, who once proclaimed, “It’s God’s will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty.”

Osteen has also captured flak for his lifestyle, including living in a $10.5 million mansion in River Oaks, according to the Houston Chronicle.

However, other social media users supported Gray and his wife, Aventer Gray, and questioned why people were critical of the purchase given the pastor also has other forms of income.

Gray’s wife also jumped to her husband’s defense on Instagram, mentioning a number of different projects her husband is currently involved in – including a reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and his various book deals.

“I don’t see anyone screaming about how basketball players drive what they do while you paying $$$ to see them play in arenas and on fields. We don’t live for people! We live for God!” she said in the post.

Source: NAN

The Board of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $7.24 billion for institutions 2019 borrowing programme to be raised from the capital markets.

The Banks Treasurer, Hassatou NSele, said the continental bank accesses a wide array of capital markets with the majority of its borrowing in US dollars and Euros as well as issuances in other public markets such as Australian dollars and Pound sterling.

The Bank maintains an active presence in the socially responsible investment arena and continues to be a regular issue of Green and Social Bonds.

These products serve to satisfy increasing demand for impact investment but also allow the Bank to highlight its development mandate and promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

The Institution has also used its High 5 operational priorities as a platform to continue the issuance of theme bonds, including an inaugural Integrate Africa bond, a Feed Africa bond awarded Asia Pacific Deal of the Year by mtn-i, more than forty Improve the Quality of the Life for the People of Africa bonds, and two taps of its Light Up and Power Africa bond.

The Bank is keen to innovate to diversify its product range and, as the financial markets continue to look to a future after Libor, was able to combine innovation with its social responsibility program and issue the first ever Green SOFR-linked bond, in November.

It will continue to promote the development of African Capital markets with the issue of local currency denominated debt to facilitate the financing of its local currency operations, alongside other initiatives.

We continue to raise our profile in the capital markets to provide cost-effective resources to finance projects and programs on the African continent.

We have a strong track record, a diversified funding profile, investors across the world and the benefits of a AAA rating to strongly support the African Development Bank mandate, NSele said.

The African Development Bank is rated triple-A by all the major international rating agencies and enjoys several solid ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) ratings. ()

Source: NAN

Masked for centuries by the soot of candles and lately by scaffolding, the mosaics of Bethlehem Church of the Nativity have been restored to their Crusader-era splendour in time for Christmas.

Over the past 15 months, experts have cleaned and repaired surviving fragments of the 12th century masterworks, preserving 1,345 square feet (125 square metres) of what was once 21,528 square feet (2,000 square metres) of glittering gold and glass.

The rest has been eaten away by wear, humidity, wars and earthquakes.

Now the restored remains shine against the white walls above the heads of visitors to the church in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem that marks the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

Overlooking the nave are seven angels framed in gold who appear to have landed on a carpet of vivid green grass.

Each is placed between windows symbolising divine light. One of the angels was discovered during the restoration work beneath a layer of plaster.

Only faces and limbs are drawn with small pieces of stone.

One of the partially destroyed angel figures was restored using different materials to the original so as not to mislead future archaeologists.

Ibrahim Abed Rabbo, a Palestinian Authority (PA) engineer said the transformation caused by the restoration is striking.

When you entered the church before, you could not even make out that there were mosaics, it was so black, he said.

In a rarity for the period, the works were signed by the craftsmen responsible, Abed Rabbo said.

In the choir of the church, the visitor can now see an image of Saint Thomas, incredulous at the resurrection, poking his finger into Christs wound from his crucifixion.

Elsewhere there is the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Its meticulously detailed, it gives the impression of being brand new, said Patricia Lieby, 44, a French tourist visiting the church for the first time.

I have never seen a mosaic like this outside Jerusalem, its sublime.

Father Asbed Balian is the senior cleric of the Armenian church at the basilica, where property rights are shared with the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox faiths.

After seeing the completed restoration, he said, he was stunned.

Spiritually, we feel more exalted, he added.

On the nave walls, the restorers also gave renewed life to paintings dating from 1127 and the end of the 12th century when wealthy pilgrims commissioned artists to paint their family or home region saints, for display in the holy site.

These portraits were barely distinguishable, blackened by the years, Piacenti said.

Now their silhouettes stand out against the churchs reddish columns, although the faces were erased after the Muslim conquest, in keeping with the Islamic ban on portrayal of the human form.

The first Church of the Nativity was built in the fourth century by Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother Helene.

That original structure was believed to have been destroyed by fire but Piacenti said no trace of burning was found during the restoration work, leading him to think an earthquake was a more likely cause.

The Byzantines rebuilt the basilica in the sixth century and the Crusaders later added to it.

Persuade more locals to stay

Due to disagreements between the three faiths responsible for the site, the building had gone unrepaired since the middle of the 19th century.

In 2002, bullet holes pocked the front of the church after a five-week Israeli army siege when some 100 Palestinians took refuge inside.

When the Palestinian Authority began renovations in 2013, the basilica was in danger, PA restoration consultant Afif Tweme said.

Scaffolding remains in part of the choir stalls as restorers work, inch by inch, on floor mosaics, hidden from public view by plywood screens.

Its very special, because of the location, said Piacenti. Sometimes I have to force them (workers) to leave at the end of the day.

Tweme said the restoration would influence tourism for sure.

He hopes the economic benefits will persuade more of Bethlehems dwindling local Christian population to stay in the city rather than move away.

AFP

Source: NAN

The wife of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, People Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Hajiya Titi, has organised end of the year party and showered gifts on 500 Orphans in Abuja

The orphans were invited from 13 orphanages within Abuja.

They were fed with food and drinks and also showered with several gift item, including school bags.

Some popular Abuja base musicians were also on ground to thrill them with songs as the children responded with amazing dance steps.

The party took place in her husbands support group campaign office in Wuse Abuja.

Mrs Abubakar said that the party was not politically motivated but an act of charity.

It is an annual event which I started 19 years ago on the platform of my foundation, WOTCLE, F she said.

WOTCLEF has been catering for orphans, women and widows and always dedicate a day to bring them together and celebrate with them and give them a sense of belonging, she said.

She said that people remember the existence of children that dont have biological parents during festivals.

Abubakar said expressed delight with the level of intelligence exhibited by most of the children at the event.

The Proprietor of Jedidah Ministry Orphanage , Kuje, Pastor Temitope Bangudu, who came with 30 orphans to the party thanked the Abubakar for the show of love for the children.

Bangudu said that her orphanage had 100 children and called on wealthy individuals to support the management of the facility.

One of the orphans, Daniel Obed, expressed gratitude to Abubakar for the gesture and for bringing the orphans together.

Source: NAN

As President Muhammadu Buhari marks 76th birthday on Monday, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo and Rep. Umar Bago have called for prayers to support the presidents resilience in nation building.

Akeredolu sought the support and prayers of Nigerians for Buhari to enable him serve the country better.

In statement by Mr. Olusegun Ajiboye, his Chief Press Secretary, Akeredolu
joined millions of Nigerians to congratulate Buhari on his birthday.

Akeredolu also congratulated Nigerians for having Buhari as their president at this difficult time.

He expressed confidence that the president was celebrating his 76th birthday with calmness, love and robust service to his fatherland.

He said the presidents commitment to the development of Nigeria as the largest black African nation was increasingly yielding the expected results.

I am soliciting more Nigerians support and prayers for the President to enable him to serve the country better, he said.

On his part the lawmaker described Buhari as a committed progressive concerned with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

Bago in a statement commended the president for his political commitment in the ongoing fight against corruption, insurgency, cattle rustling, and sectarian crisis.

According to him, such positive development will continue to provide enable environment for the countrys growth.

Mr President has succeeded in repositioning the country for the better, especially in the areas of security, transportation, roads construction, agriculture and diversification of the economy.

President Buhari has proved beyond reasonable doubt to be honest, sincere and committed to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, irrespective of political, tribal and ethnic differences.

Our dear nation still has more to reap from his wealth of experience and deep wisdom in its journey to greatness.

I am pleased to join your family and other well-wishers in thanking God for blessing you with the strength and wisdom to live a fulfilling life of honest, commitment to the well-being of all ordinary Nigerians, he told President Buhari.

At 76, your contributions to national growth have remained undiminished as you continue to fearlessly lend your strong voice and strategic support to the genuine efforts toward making our nation great.

I pray that God will still keep you longer to play greater role in the stabilisation of our country. Your life has been one of great sacrifices for the unity and progress of our country.

From your days as a military head of state to a civilian President, you envisioned a great nation where everyone will be well accommodated and freely pursue his or her aspirations.

For this, you have worked, and still working to keep Nigeria united and Nigerians happier through democratic governance.

Source: NAN

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said the newly completed terminal building at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will process 15 million passengers annually when it begins operations.

Mr Saleh Dunoma, the Managing Director of FAAN, said that the terminal building was designed essentially to transport passengers.

He said the terminal building would be inaugurated on Dec. 20 to enhance the operational capacity of the airport.

The FAAN boss disclosed that the current carrying capacity of the airport was 7.5 million passengers per annum.

He said that the inauguration of the new terminal would bring about expansion to the airport.

He said that passengers would begin to enjoy comfort and efficient services, saying the terminal was built and equipped with modern facilities such as modern check-in, baggage handling and security facilities.

Currently, Abuja is doing like 7.5 million passengers annually in the old terminal, both domestic and international.

He said that the nation now had a terminal that can process 15 million passengers which he described as a great departure from what it had before.

It is essentially designed for passengers, it is not the kind of terminal where you have several offices and aviances, it is just designed for passenger purposes and duty offices only.

So, most of the offices are going to remain in the old facility and then we will provide posts for the agencies that will participate in the processing of passengers.

All the passenger-handling facilities like the modern security equipment that are important for security are available in the new terminal.

We have modern check-in facility, we have modern baggage handling facility, and we have modern security surveillance gadget in the terminal.

It is a lot of departure from what we had in the existing facility and the arrangement is for the passenger-flow to be more efficient than what we had in the old terminal building, he said.

Dunoma said that there were plans to make sure that the old and new terminals work together to ensure connectivity.

According to him, the authority will change its modalities of operations by providing free trolleys and WiFi services for all passengers in the new terminal.

He added that the new terminal would attract more passengers and patronage from more international airlines.

He said that there had been applications for additional frequencies into Abuja by some airlines.

The FAAN boss said that authority had decided to delay granting such approvals because of the limited capacity and in order not to create congestions pending when the new facility would become operational.

The Abuja Airport is one of the four new terminals being constructed at the cost of $600 million by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) under the Export-Import Bank of China loan.

The others are in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano and are being financed from the $500 million loan from China-Exim bank and $100 million counterpart funding from the Federal Government.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in October inaugurated the one in Port Harcourt while the remaining two are expected to be opened for operations in 2019.

Source: NAN

By Felicia Imohimi

Saleh Ndaski, the Head of Nursing Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has called for adequate training and retraining, as well as motivation of nurses for quality healthcare delivery in the country.

Ndaski made the call at the annual national conference of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) Federal Health Institutions Sector in Abuja.

The conference has as its theme Nursing Models/Theories for Effective Nursing Practice.

The NANNM head described nurses as custodians of patients and the only healthcare providers who worked 24 hours.

He said nurses required continuous training to keep them abreast of emerging trends in the health sector.

He added that nurses require adequate training and retraining because healthcare problems are emerging and a lot of diseases are coming up and they need to be abreast with such problems and how to effectively tackle them.

Nurses require motivation to be able to provide the best of services required of them as majority of them are not well motivated and this is a major gap in quality care.

Ndaski noted that a lot of reforms were done in the profession with regard to scientific discovery.

He, however, added that a lot of theories and models that existed in the practice were not fully utilised by nurses due to lack of adequate knowledge, decayed infrastructure, among others.

He said that those theories and models provide nurses with perfect care and services, as well as quality healthcare delivery.

According to him, nurses are always concerned about patients having the best of care within the health sector, hence the theme of the conference.

Mr Wale Olatunde, the National Chairman of NANNM, reiterated the determination of the association to regulate the activities of Nigerian nurses and midwives in the most effective manner.

This, he said would ensure best practices and safeguard best healthcare delivery for all Nigerians.

According to him, the theme of the conference is carefully selected based on the nurses conviction that there must be shift from theory development to theory utilisation in health facilities.

Olatunde said this would help to restore proper relationship between theory and practice.

Nursing is now in the era of utilisation of philosophies, models and theories for clinical nursing practice, he said.

The chairman said that the theme was aimed at enhancing the capacity of the professionals and equipping them intellectually to select a theoretical work that would guide their daily clinical practice.

This remains one of the practical ways in which we can help to reverse the current rating of the countrys health indices.

The effectiveness of clinical nursing services remain critical in determination of quality health care services.

The conference, according to him, is part of the associations contributions toward complementing governments efforts in its drive to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the citizens.

Mr Faruk Abubakar, the Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, urged the nurses to deliver their duty with all diligence by prioritising the interest of patients.

Abubakar urged them to always discharge their duties to the best of their ability.

He said that nurses should consider the plights of patients in order to achieve quality care, which is the sole aim of nursing or other professional practices in the health sector.

Source: NAN

There were some moments of wrangling in Nigerias first TV debate on Friday night among political party candidates ahead of the February 16 presidential election.

And expectedly the feud was between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Dr Peter Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The first argument arose when Obi derided Buhari administrations anti-corruption efforts as tantamount to leaving the shop and chasing the thieves.

Osinbajo rebutted the analogy and asked Obi, whether anything will be left in the shop if criminals were allowed to loot all the inventory.

The two speakers also disagreed on whether Nigeria has improved its ambience to attract foreign investment. While Obi reeled out statistics about the volume of foreign investment in other economies, Osinbajo punctured by the fact that the countries Obi cited, such as South Africa and China have one thing in common: adequate infrastructure.

According to Osinbajo, the APC government is investing heavily in this area, in roads and rail transport. He also reminded the audience where Nigeria was in 2015 in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business, rising from 170th position in 2015 to 146th today.

Osinbajo blamed Nigerias infrastructural deficit from 1999 to 2015 on the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) administration, which governed Nigeria then and how the Buhari administration in three and half years, despite declining financial resources, has changed the narrative.

Analysts believe that the 2019 Vice Presidential Debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Civil Society Organisations.
should have been a straight debate between Osinbajo and Obi, as the three other candidates did not offer much in terms of contribution.

Osinbajo and Obi were the stars of the night and as they spoke, they occasionally attracted jeers or cheers from the planted crowd in the audience at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, in Abuja. The moderator several times warned that certain reactions from the audience were a breach of the rule.

Osinbajo said corruption is the major cause of the country`s current challenges which must be tackled head-on.

He said the country's economy has consistently in the last six quarters been going up under the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration, which is focussed on building the country`s infrastructure, especially the road and rail sector.

Osinbajo said the administrations social investment programmes were put in place to address poverty in the country.

He said the administration was investing heavily in power distribution to address problem of electricity as well.

Obi, the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate said his partys main agenda is job creation, which he believes remains the key to addressing insecurity and other anti-social vices in the country.

Obi stressed that the country's main problem is its economy which he said is under the purview of the Vice President, adding that he would do all it takes to set the country`s economy on the right footing if his party is voted into office in 2019.

The vice president has a role to build the economy and make the country work.Fighting corruption is not a policy, he said.

Obi further said there was need to review the country`s subsidy regime in the interest of the nation, adding that if the right thing was done, the price of petroleum products would drop. However, he was vague about the right thing that should be done.

He said the PDP government would properly support Small and Medium Enterprises in the country as well create enabling environment to attract foreign investors.

Osinbajo explained that subsidy of petroleum products is not inherently bad as the United States and other countries have all kinds of subsidies in place. He also said the present government has come up with several programmes to support SMEs, including investing in power at some markets in the country. This is not about what we are going to do, but what we are already doing, he said.

Also speaking at the debate, Mrs Umma Getso, Young Progressives Party Vice Presidential Candidate said the girl-child education and women empowerment was her priority.

She stressed that her party had all it takes to move the country to the next level, adding that subsidy in petroleum products was a scam and should be removed completely.

She emphasised the need to rebuild the country`s economy which she said is all encompassing, adding that her party would ensure constitutional restructuring and electricity redistribution.

Alliance for New Nigeria Vice Presidential Candidate, Khadijah Abudullahi-Iya said her party if voted into office, would ensure transparency in government`s institutions, diversify the economy and address issues surrounding petroleum subsidy.

She also said that her party had in place policies that would address unemployment, and encourage free trade to grow the economy.

Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria Vice Presidential Candidate said his party would work with technocrats to develop the country`s economy and make her the envy of other nations.

He said his party would privatise all government business to make them more productive.

Source: NAN

Fact checkers went to work Friday night to puncture some of the statistics quoted by Peter Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party at the live TV debate at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

In arguing that petrol subsidy that he estimated to be a trillion naira a year was a waste, Obi said there are only two million vehicles in Nigeria.

Fact-checking revealed otherwise. According to National Bureau of Statistics(NBS), Nigeria has over 11.5million vehicles on the road, as at 2017.

Obi also claimed that intra-African trade is just a mere 9 per cent. He was proven wrong. Intra-African trade, according to Afreximbank Africa Trade Report 2018, is estimated at 15 per cent. In 2016, this was estimated at 18 per cent of its total exports and imports. IMF even gave an estimate of 20 per cent of the total trade volume of about one trillion dollars.

Obi was correct when he said oil exports still accounts for 80 per cent of Nigerias dollar revenue. However, oil contribution to GDP has dwindled to about 10 per cent, according to NBS.

But he was caught out when he claimed that his administration as governor of Anambra state was the first to buy up to 30,000 computers for schools. Twitterati said Governor Kayode Fayemi bought more in his first term in Ekiti State. He reportedly bought 48,000 Samsung laptops, 30,000 for students and 18,000 for teachers.

Despite the statistical goofs, Obi was praised by many PDP sympathisers for his performance during the debate.

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, who had not tweeted for a long time, wrote:

Watching the I can assure Nigerians that we got the right man for the job as Vice President.

Peter Obi is backing all his points with facts and figures, proffering solutions too.What a man!

Aminu W. Tambuwal (@AWTambuwal)

Governor Dankwambo of Gombe state, similarly wrote:

I am so proud of Peter Obi tonight. He is reeling out facts and figures to buttress his argument.

Governor Dankwambo (@HEDankwambo)

Source: NAN