Miss Monica Osagie, the student at the centre of a sex-for-mark scandal rocking the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has denied shunning an invitation by the panel probing her audio tapes of her conversation with disgraced Professor Richard Akindele, who demanded five rounds of sex for marks.

She made the denial via proxy, and said she was awaiting an invitation by the panel, the Saturday Sun newspaper reported.

Her proxy, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Founder, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, a non-profit organisation, said that the university did not at any point invite Miss Osagie to face the panel.

She challenged the university to bring evidence that she was formally invited by any means to appear before the panel.

Before the matter went viral, the university was aware of it and they did not do anything. If the case did not go viral, the university probably would have not done anything and it would have been swept under the carpet.

I think that we should focus more on whether the act of that professor amounts to sexual harassment, whether it was a breach of the schools code of conduct, whether it was a breach of terms of contract for lecturers or whether he abused the relationship that should exist between lecturers and students.

Afolabi stated that the university should be responsible and responsive in addressing issues of sexual harassment because Miss Osagie is ready to come out whenever the university extends a proper invitation to her, adding that it appears the school wants to protect its reputation at the expense of the young lady.

Let the university do what they are supposed to do by giving her proper invitation. They have all her records because she is their student. The panel has never invited her, so when the panel invites her today, she would come.

Akiyode-Afolabi further noted that even though Miss Osagie made the recording to serve as evidence against her lecturer, she didnt release the audio. She got the evidence and it was given to one or two people when she was seeking for help. So definitely one of them released the audio, and she cannot be blamed for it.

Akiyode-Afolabi stated that there has not been any threat made against Monica. We are not comfortable with the university saying they invited her when they didnt invite her. Her name is already out, the whole world is aware so we cannot say because of security and safety, we wont allow the truth to prevail.

According to the panel report, only the suspended lecturer honoured its invitation while the lady neither showed up before the panel to defend her case nor wrote a formal complaint to the institution to defend the leaked audio.

We will like to reiterate that OAU will continue to do everything legally and morally acceptable in pursuance of its avowed commitment to zero tolerance for sexual harassment, intimidation and, or coercion, the universitys Vice-Chancellor, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, said in a statement.

Akiyode-Afolabi said Monica hasnt done anything wrong and is unapologetic about what she did.

I think society should focus on what really happened, and whether such should happen in higher institutions of learning and not about what she did.

Source: NAN

Dozens of children cheer at the Baptist Nursery and Primary School compound in Bode-Ijaiye suburb of Abeokuta city, the capital of Ogun state, as their friends try to outpace each other on a 100-metre dash in a dusty field.

Ogun state inter-school football and track-and-field competitions are just around the corner, and teachers want to prepare the children physically and mentally for the task ahead.

Away from the laughter and shouts of encouragement on the field, four female cooks with aprons on top of traditional indigo-dyed adire gowns ladle porridge mixed with vegetables and fish into hundreds of stainless steel bowls with lids.

As the cooks ambled into a nearby classroom and began to place bowls on wooden desks, the 64 pupils remained quiet. After the dish was served, the students stood and began to sing Bless this food O Lord for Christ sake Amen. Then they sat down and began to eat.

I want to say a big thank you to the federal government of Nigeria and the Ogun state government for providing food for us, 10-year-old Ramon Samuel told Al Jazeera before opening the lid on his bowl.

Samuel and his classmates receive free meals every school day thanks to a national programme, which aims to provide nutritious meals to young schoolchildren in order to increase enrolment, help them stay in school, and reduce malnutrition, particularly among children from low-income families.

The Home Grown School Feeding initiative, a movement launched in 2003, is driven by national governments to improve the lives of schoolchildren and farmers alike. It is practised across the continent, including in Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa.

The concept is not confined just to the continent as Brazil, Japan, and Italy have similar programmes aimed at keeping children fed while promoting local agriculture.

Though the scheme began in December 2016 in Nigeria, it is not entirely new here. Nigerias former President Olusegun Obasanjo launched a pilot programme in 13 states in September 2005, but after a few years, only southwestern Osun state maintained it.

The school programme operates in 20 out of Nigerias 36 states and has fed nearly seven million pupils in about 40,000 public schools, the programmes manager Abimbola Adesanmi told Al Jazeera. She said more than 68,800 jobs have also been created through the initiative.

The plan was reintroduced by President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2016 as part of his administrations multi-million dollar National Social Investment Programmes to address poverty, hunger and unemployment in Nigeria.

The school programme operates in 20 out of Nigerias 36 states and has fed nearly seven million pupils in about 40,000 public schools, the programmes manager Abimbola Adesanmi told Al Jazeera. She said more than 68,800 jobs have also been created through the initiative.

Adeleke Adewolu is the commissioner of special duties and inter-governmental affairs in Ogun state. He said the meals are not only nutritious but also serve as a social safety net for low-income households.

If children eat nutritious food it will enhance their learning ability and this will have a knock-on effect on their cognitive development and help to encourage enrolment and retention, Adewolu said.

The programme provides income for thousands of people, including farmers, cooks recruited from local communities, and those involved in the processing and transportation of food, he said.

In Ogun, the coordinating team collaborated with the ministries of education, health, agriculture, womens affairs and community development to divide farmers into cooperative groups and link them to about 3,000 cooks who were trained and deployed to more than 1,500 schools. Farmers received training in seed quality and fertilisers to grow enough food to meet demand.

The cooks who are responsible for procuring ingredients for the daily meals are given a budget of 70 naira ($0.23) per child each day. With help from the state government, they received 57,000 naira ($188) in loans to purchase water drums, pots, bowls, uniforms, and cooking utensils.

It gives me great joy to help in feeding the children in Baptist Primary School, said Omole Imoleayo, who left a career in banking to join the programme. We receive our payment without delays and I have more time for my family now.

Sourcing foods locally helps millions of small farmers who produce up to 90 percent of Nigerias food but are mired in grinding poverty.

This has created a well-structured market for the farmers since they now know how much to produce and when it is needed, said Tinuola Shopeju, Oguns programme manager.

Shopeju said the initiative is a perfect model for addressing food insecurity and improving local agricultural production in Nigeria, which imports about $20bn worth of food annually.

The menu differs daily and every state adopts its own meal schedule. In Ogun, schoolchildren get rice, stewed fish, and beans but also delicacies such as Ikokore a dish made from water yam.

Deworming
Nigerias programme also offers health services including deworming children in public primary schools across 17 states. Adesanmi said worms affect the health of schoolchildren, potentially causing anaemia, malnourishment, and the impairment of mental and physical development.

In the short term, children with worms may be too sick or tired to attend school or to concentrate. Basically, we do not want to feed worms, rather children, she said.

Teachers in Ogun say the programme is not only helping young students stay in school, but also attracting those from private schools. Ogunkola Adefunke Deborah, headteacher of Baptist Nursery and Primary School, said her pupils now come to classes regularly and are very punctual.

We have over 80 new pupils, most of them came from private schools, she said. Before you hardly see parents coming here, but now they come to ask us why their kids beg to be brought to school early and why they always return home with their pocket money.

Deborah shared an anecdote of a boy who refused to go home even when he was sick because he didnt want to miss a meal.

Rebecca Faronbi, 72, was devastated when her son died and left her with four grandchildren to take care of. Her three-year-old granddaughter now receives the free meals at school.

Until the feeding programme started I was struggling to feed the children. My granddaughter wakes me up before 7am and tells me she wants to go to school because she will get free food there, Faronbi said in the Yoruba language, which is widely spoken in southwestern Nigeria.

Rampant malnutrition
Research has shown that 42 percent of schoolchildren in Nigeria suffer malnutrition, and this has caused a high rate of absenteeism.

UNICEF estimates about 2.5 million Nigerian children under the age of five suffer from severe malnutrition each year, with about half a million children dying from it.

With a quality assurance tracking system known as #TrackWithUs, the programme handlers have urged Nigerians to visit nearby schools to check if meals meet the required standards and report any cooks who arent serving proper food.

Several cooks were fired in southern Cross River state last November for serving biscuits in lieu of meals.

The campaign has helped us track activities in schools and strengthened our existing monitoring and supervision mechanism, Adesanmi said. Since there is a reward and sanction system in place we have been able to name and shame cooks who do not comply with our standards.

A major barrier to the programmes success is the inability of state governments to scale up the meals to senior classes in elementary schools. The federal government caters to pupils from Grades 1 to 3, but with many states struggling to pay salaries, pupils in higher grades are not being fed.

Experts hope the government will not repeat the same mistakes made a decade ago when a combination of inadequate funding, poor logistics, and corruption crippled the scheme.

We need to promote community participation, community ownership, community implementation, community monitoring, strong institutional arrangements and multi-sector partnerships, Adesanmi said.

Source: NAN

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has deplored Cameroons forced return of Nigerian refugees to the Boko Haram violence areas.

It said: The forced returns are in violation of the principle of no forced returns or non-refoulement.

They are also a significant setback to progress previously achieved by Cameroon in granting asylum to Nigerian civilians fleeing Boko Haram violence.

Despite such counselling, Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers who fled Boko Haram violence continue to be returned from Cameroon, UNHCR said.

It said the action underscored the need to accord international protection to those in need.

We appeal once again to the authorities in Cameroon to refrain from further forced returns and to ensure protection to those fleeing insecurity and persecution in Nigeria.

This is in accordance with Cameroons national and international obligations, UNHCR said.

Since the beginning of 2018, 385 Nigerians refugees and asylum-seekers had been forcibly returned from Cameroon, the majority of them in March, including 160 on April 10 and a further 118 a week later.

In total, the UN agency has registered some 87,600 Nigerian refugees in the country.

Properly functioning screening, registration and asylum systems help safeguard host country security, it said.

UNHCR reiterated its support to the Government of Cameroon to ensure that all those seeking international protection have access to efficient screening and registration procedures, as well as appropriate reception arrangements.

It had earlier appealed to the Government of Cameroon to respect human rights of all citizens for the sake of peace.

The commissions representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Antonio Canhandula, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Makurdi.

Canhandula said the instability in Anglophone Cameroon had forced thousands of citizens to seek asylum in Nigeria.

He said Cameroonian Government should explore alternative ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved for the sake of peace and that both parties should respect human rights.

UNHCR urges the Government of Cameroon to explore ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved, for the sake of peace.

We also reiterate the need for respect of human rights by all parties involved, Canhandula said.

He said the refugees complained of exclusion from the national life by the Cameroonian Government, political processes and important positions in the government.

Longstanding grievances against the central government in Cameroon took a new turn in 2016 when a group of Anglophone Cameroonians triggered civil society-led demonstrations.

This was based on allegations of marginalisation by the authorities, particularly in the education and justice system.

Initially, the protesters called for the return to a federal system of government and greater autonomy.

However, on Oct. 1, 2017, the separatist movement, Ambazonia Governing Council, declared unilaterally the independence of Cameroons Northwest and Southwest Regions.

Tensions ensued with government security forces clashing with movement, resulting in injuries and deaths and leading to an influx of English-speaking Cameroonians into Nigeria.

Critics accused government forces of killing dozens of civilians while the administration is also alleging that suspected separatists have killed more than 10 security personnel since the crisis intensified in October.

(NAN)

Source: NAN

Bandits have again killed about 30 people in Kabaro and Danmani villages in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

A witness, Mr Shuaibu Kabaro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maru that the suspected gunmen attacked the two communities and the incident was immediately reported to the security agents.

He said three of the bandits were arrested by security agents following the prompt report of the incident to the security personnel.

Shuaibu said, the gunmen in turn went and mobilized more gangs and returned in multitudes to carry out the attack which left about 30 dead and many others injured in the two communities.

The Maru Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Dangulbi and the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu both confirmed the killings.

According to them, many of the villagers deserted their homes for fear of further attacks which now characterized the mode of operations of the gunmen.

With the presence of security personnel now in the area, many of the villagers had returned home, the two officials confirmed in separate interviews.

The PPRO further explained that units of mobile police working with the military and other security agents were immediately mobilised to the affected areas and that peace and normalcy have been restored.

The police spokesman said that the actual number of those killed was still being ascertained and until this is done, l cannot give you actual figure at the moment.

Source: NAN

By Racheal Ishaya

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Central Bank Governor on Sunday left Nigeria for Washington DC to join other economic experts from around the world in discussing issues affecting global economy.

The discussions is taking place under the auspices of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank will bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organisations and academics.

They will discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

Also featured are seminars, regional briefings, press conferences, and many other events focused on the global economy, international development, and the worlds financial system.

Below are some pictures from the meeting.

Source: NAN

By Stanley Nwanosike

Mr Chukwudi Ezinwa, the Chairman of Ezeagu Local Government in Enugu State, says his priority is to provide electricity to all households in the council area.

Ezinwa made the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Enugu.

According to him, he has made contact with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and other rural electrification agencies and partners on how best to achieve this within record time.

My foremost priority now is to improve the infrastructure of the council area, especially the extension of electricity from one community to another.

This will ensure that areas not currently energised in the council area would be energised with electricity so that the lives of rural dwellers can be touched, he said.

Ezinwa said that with constant electricity, the issue of pipe-borne water would be tackled as there would be electricity to power generating sets in mini-water schemes in the council area.

The chairman said he would also focus on staff welfare and education during his two-year tenure.

He said that there must be a harmonious relationship between the government and its staff because the workers, being the creator of the wealth, must work hand together with the government to move the administration forward.

No government can survive without taking adequate care of its staff.

Another area of importance to my administration is education. Most of the primary schools in the council area are dilapidated.

They need effective renovation for us to put them to normal shape so that pupils can go back to the classrooms and learn like their counterparts in the cities, he said.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Army has arrested 23 suspected cultists, who were conducting physical training for new recruits and initiation and involved in robbery and kidnapping.

The army also arrested 15 other persons suspected to be pipeline vandals and recovered 31 jerry cans of refined petroleum products in the process.

Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, reported at a news conference at the 174 Battalion, Ikorodu area of Lagos on Saturday.

Udoh was represented by the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Moundhey Ali.

The GOC, who said the suspects were arrested at different times and locations, explained that the arrests were a result of intensive surveillance and intelligence report.

In continuation of the crackdown on criminal elements and cultists in and around Lagos and Ogun states, the troops of 81 Division arrested 23 suspected cultists in Ikorodu area on April 16.

Over 50 suspected cultists from Eiye confraternity were conducting physical training for new recruits, initiation and planning for robbery and kidnap activities.

Their arrest was preceded by a shootout between the troops of 174 Battalion Ikorodu and the cultists after which, 23 of the suspected cultists were arrested while others escaped, he said.

The GOC said that two of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds, adding that one of the suspected newly-recruited cultists died as a result of injuries inflicted on him during the cult initiation.

However, one of our gallant soldiers, while combatting the cultists sustained a gunshot wound on his left leg during the encounter and was immediately evacuated.

The soldier and the 2 wounded cultists are receiving treatment at the Battalions Medical Reception Station.

Items recovered from the suspects include one locally-made double barrel pistol, five live cartridges, five machetes, four jack knives, two table knives, three locally-fabricated axes with nail like edges and five mobile phones.

Also recovered from them are one parcel containing substance suspected to be Indian hemp. Others are two ATM cards, eight identity cards, nine passport photographs, packets of condom, rings and a variety of charms, he said.

The GOC further said that the troops of the 81 Division also raided some suspected pipeline vandals at Ilara and Imagbon areas of Ikorodu to stop them from vandalising the countrys pipelines.

The suspected vandals, armed with AK-47 rifles, fired sporadically and fled on sighting the troops.

During the operation, sabotaged portions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines were observed in Imoro Creek in Imagbon.

Items recovered from them include: one wooden boat, 40 empty jerry cans each weighing 50 litres and a 1,000-metre-long hose, ostensibly used in siphoning products by the suspected vandals.

The recovered items were destroyed and no arrest was made, Udoh said.

The GOC also said that seven impersonators were arrested alongside eight suspected vandals on April 17 in Lagos and Ogun states.

While on anti-bunkering patrol along Imoro Creek in Ikorodu, troops discovered sabotaged points along the NNPC Pipeline including a loading area in the Creek for siphoned products where eight suspected vandals were arrested.

Items recovered from them include 10 Vehicles, 31 Jerry cans loaded with refined products, 77 empty Jerry cans, three coolers, nine mobile phones and substances suspected to be hard drugs.

Another set of 1,320 empty Jerry cans were also discovered and destroyed.

In addition, seven suspected impostors were arrested by troops while on operation CHECKMATE, he said.

Udoh expressed appreciation to the general public and particularly the people of Lagos and Ogun states for their continuous cooperation.

He urged them to always give timely information that would help the Division in its operations.

He pledged not to relent until the Area of Responsibility of the division was completely rid of all forms of cultism, vandalism and other violent criminal activities and elements.

The suspects are undergoing preliminary investigation after which they will be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for further investigations and prosecution, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

In 1984, when lawyers in Nigeria boycotted the anti-corruption tribunals set up by the Buhari led military regime, to try corrupt politicians, Fawehinmi decided to appear before the tribunals. Consequently,he was isolated by the Nigerian Bar Association. But Gani was undeterred.

As part of the posthumous celebration of the human rights advocate, the Lagos State Government will unveil a new statue in his honour at the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Park in Ojota.

Source: NAN

By Ariwodola Idowu

Crisis on Saturday rocked the delegates congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti leading to an attack on a former Chairman of Ikere Local Gvernment, Mr. Mr Banji Aluko.

Aluko was beaten up by persons suspected to be political thugs over allegation that he was working against Ikere Agenda, fashioned by Gov. Ayo Fayose in support of his deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola.

Aluko , who led a group of youth to the secretariat of the party to register his protest over alleged subversion of the oppositions will, was chased away from the congress.

The supporter of former works minister, Mr, Dayo Adeyeye, was beaten with canes and cudgels and his sparkling apparel heavily stained.

Aluko accused the Deputy governor and a member of the House of Assembly representing Ikere constituency 1, Mr. Wale Ayeni, as the masterminds of the attack.

Our group won election at Ogbonjana ward 7 and we were rejoicing only for these thugs to pounce on me and started beating me.

I have reported the case to the police and proper action will be taken against the sponsors, he added.

The fragile peace brokered recently in the party broke down as the political gladiators squared up in virtually all the 177 wards, where elected delegates were expected to emerge, preparatory for the May 8 governorship primary.

The major gladiators are Governor Fayose; former Minister of Works, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye and Senator representing Ekiti south, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi.

They engaged in battle of wits in the delegates election.

While Fayose is backing his deputy, Olusola to succeed him in the July 14 governorship poll, the duo of Adeyeye and Olujimi were also contesting the same seat.

Adeyeye described the congress as a charade, calling for outright cancellation of the exercise to prevent anarchy.

Adeyeye said the election was brazenly manipulated in all the 177 wards , accusing the leaders of PDP Ad hoc committees sent to the 16 local governments of diverting the materials meant for the election.

Former Senate President, David Mark , led other top hierarchy of the party to conduct the congress.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Uche Secondus and members of the National Working Committee, as well as Senator Mark, were in Ado Ekiti last Wednesday to mediate between the opposing camps.

Tension was particularly high in Ikere Ekiti, hometown of the Fayoses deputy , as factions fought over the control of the Ikere local government delegates in all the eleven wards in the council.

Adeyeye, who spoke through his Media Assistant, Niyi Ojo, said: There was no election anywhere in the state. Those loyal to Fayose sat somewhere and wrote the list of delegates.

What really marvelled us was that the committees sent by the national headquarters to conduct the election didnt go to the wards, they
diverted, he alleged (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after his visit to the United Kingdom, where he held bilateral talks on Nigeria British relations and also participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ( CHOGM).

The President on April 9 left Abuja for London after he announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2019 general election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft which left London at about 1p.m.(Nigerian time), landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 7.10p.m.

President Buhari was received at the airport by service chiefs, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Muhammed Bello and Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari.

Others at the airport to welcome the president included the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and other presidential aides.

While in London President Buhari on April 16 held bilateral talks with British Prime Minister, Theresa May, where he asked for more British investments in Nigeria.

Buhari commended British companies; Unilever, Cadbury, and many others.

The President noted that the companies had stood with Nigeria through thick and thin. He said they remained in Nigeria even when the country fought a civil war.

But like Oliver Twist, we ask for more investments. We are encouraging more British companies to come to Nigeria.

We appreciate the support you have given in training and equipping our military, particularly in the war against insurgency, but we want to also continue to work with you on trade and investment.

Buhari also briefed the Prime Minister on the strides in agriculture, which he said had put Nigeria firmly on the road to food self-sufficiency.

I am very pleased with the successes in agriculture. We have cut rice importation by about 90 per cent, made lots of savings of foreign exchange, and generated employment.

People had rushed to the cities to get oil money at the expense of farming. But luckily, they are now going back to the farms. Even professionals are going back to the land.

We are making steady progress on the road to food security, he said.

The President recalled that the All Progressives Congress-led government had campaigned on three major issues, to secure the country, revive the economy and fight corruption.

According to him, as the 2019 general election approaches, politicians are already pre-occupied with the polls, while he is bothered more about security and the economy.

We have elections next year, politicians are already pre-occupied with the polls, but I am bothered more about security and the economy, he stressed.

Prime Minister May, in her remarks, said Britain would continue to work with Nigeria in the areas of training and equipping the military.

She also said that her country would continue to assist Nigeria on the rehabilitation of abducted schoolgirls freed from by Boko Haram.

On April 18 President Buhari delivered his keynote address at the Commonwealth Business Forum at Guildhall, London, where he enjoined leaders of the Commonwealth to avoid trade wars and work collectively to preserve the global trading order.

The Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) with the theme, Making Business Easier between Commonwealth Countries, was part of events at this years Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting, CHOGM- 25.

President Buhari said: If we are to make business easier between our countries and going beyond the Commonwealth, we must avoid trade wars and work collectively to preserve the global trading order, support regional initiatives as well as support domestic structural reforms that focus on the priorities of individual countries.

He reiterated his belief in wealth creation and employment opportunities within the Commonwealth.

President Buhari called on the members of the Commonwealth Business Forum and prospective investors to participate in the 2018 UK/Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum at the London Stock Exchange.

The President also met with the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Mr Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners plan to invest $15b in Nigerias oil industry.

NAN observed that no statement was issued on the outcome of the meeting which was held behind closed doors.

However, an earlier statement in Abuja by the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the Shell investment ventures would lay the foundation for the next 20 years production and domestic gas supply, bringing with it all the attendant benefits both to the economy and the wider society.

President Buhari also met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in London.

Archbishop Welby said it was always a delight to see President Buhari, whom I have tremendous respect for.

You have my best wishes on your recent decision. I read your declaration speech.

We are neutral as a church, but we will pray for you. Great statesmen are those who run for the good of their country. We will be praying for you.

The Archbishop presented President Buhari with a copy of his recent book, Reimagining Britain. Foundations for Hope.

President Buhari on April 15 received members of the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation, led by Mr Charles Sylvester. He reassured the group that his administration would always justify the trust and confidence reposed in it by Nigerians.

He said:We will do our best to justify your trust in us, and that confidence wont be abused.

I am happy that people like you are here on your own, defending the country. You have shown courage and sacrifice.

I assure you that your confidence in us wont be abused, we will do our best to justify it.

President Buhari also said that Nigeria was gifted with tremendous human and natural resources, but regretted that the failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalise on resources to improve the lot of the people.

The President said his administration has not done too badly benchmarked against the state of the nation in 2015.

He explained that government was doing its best to recover looted funds, noting, however that it was impossible to identify and recover all the loots.

NAN reports that the presidents visit to London witnessed various rallies in support of his administration.

On April 20 some Nigerians converged in front of the Nigerian High Commission in London, to rally in support of the APC-led Federal Government.

The President is resetting the country on the path of growth and development, said Mr. Stephen Kifordu, from Delta State, the leader of the group.

According to him, there is no credible alternative to Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the 2019 election, noting that the group represents the aspiration of many Nigerians who want progress for Nigeria.

Kifordu said Nigeria is attractive to investors because of Buharis fight against corruption in the country.

He claimed that the previous administration gave room for rot and corrupt activities.

We have a President in Nigeria that people can look at and trust that If I invest in Nigeria, my investment will not be stolen.

When we talk of security, he has done security in terms of Boko Haram and in terms of the Niger Delta, he said.

Explaining further how President Buhari is resetting the country, Kifordu said it is the primary role of the police and not the military to protect Nigerian citizens and President Buhari is enforcing this.

The Police is the number one organisation that takes care of our security. It is only when we are under attack that the military comes in.

In past years, we have seen the issue when the military jumps on board without paying regard to the police. Then suddenly when something happens in Nigeria, Mr President says deploy the police, people are saying dont deploy the police.

President Buhari is resetting our country. He is bringing us back to the way things should be.

This support rally came 24 hours after a group bearing Biafran flags staged a protest in front of the Commonwealth House in Westminister, London.

Source: NAN

Manchester United inflicted more FA Cup semi-final misery on Tottenham Hotspur as they recovered from a poor start to win 2-1 at a packed Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Tottenham, playing on the ground which has been their temporary home all season, got off to a dream start.

Dele Alli scored from close range but Alexis Sanchez equalised with a header and Ander Herrera fired Uniteds winner midway through the second half.

While United can look forward to the prospect of finishing the season with some silverware, Tottenham must pick themselves up after an eighth successive FA Cup semi-final loss.

The usual Spursy argument will be made and there will come a point when this undoubtedly talented side must back up the bouquets it gets with actual trophies, the true currency of success.

Spurs flew out of the blocks but simply could not put United away and there was an air of desperation and frustration.

There was also the questions of Pochettinos decision to persist with Michel Vorm in goal and keep first-choice Hugo Lloris on the bench.

While it is harsh to place defeat solely at Vorms door, he certainly could have done better with Herreras winner.

Harry Kane could not find his usual sure touch and Son Heung-min, superb this season, had one of those days when nothing went right.

Standing between United and a record-equalling 13th FA Cup triumph will be Chelsea or Southampton, who play on Sunday.

Source: NAN

New research suggests that a single night of sleep deprivation can increase levels of beta-amyloid protein involved in the making of Alzheimers disease.

The discovery was made by scientists from the American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Beta-amyloid also known as amyloid beta is a sticky protein that can accumulate between brain cells and form plaques. These plaques disrupt brain cell communication, and this is believed to play a key role in Alzheimers disease.

Study co-author Nora D. Volkow, of the Laboratory of Neuroimaging at the NIAAA, and colleagues recently published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Alzheimers disease is a progressive cognitive disorder characterised by memory loss and changes in behaviour. It is the most common form of dementia, affecting around 5.7 million adults in the United States alone.

Past research has associated disrupted sleep with an increase in beta-amyloid levels, but Volkow and colleagues note that there have been some shortfalls in research.

Despite the evidence, say the researchers, that acute sleep deprivation elevates [beta]-amyloid levels in mouse interstitial fluid and in human cerebrospinal fluid, not much is known about the impact of sleep deprivation on [beta]-amyloid burden in the human brain.

To help shed light on how acute sleep deprivation influences brain levels of beta-amyloid, the team studied 20 healthy adults aged 2272.

Using positron emission tomography imaging, the researchers measured beta-amyloid burden in the brain after one night of rested sleep and after one night of sleep deprivation.

After a single night of sleep deprivation, the researchers noticed an increase in beta-amyloid levels in the right hippocampus of the subjects brains, as well as in the thalamus.

The hippocampus is the brain region associated with long-term memory, and the thalamus is a brain region involved in processing sensory information.

According to the authors, these findings provide preliminary evidence for the role of SD [sleep deprivation] on [beta-amyloid] accumulation in the human brain.

Volkow and her colleagues note that they are unable to say whether a night of rested sleep could negate the accumulation of beta-amyloid caused by a bad nights sleep, but this is something that they plan to investigate in future research.

Still, they believe that their new study suggests that getting a good nights sleep may be crucial to our brain health.

The authors conclude:Our results highlight the relevance of good sleep hygiene for proper brain function and as a potential target for prevention of AD [Alzheimers disease].

Reported by Medical News Today.

Source: NAN

In Ghana, mosques and churches are seen to be compounding the problem of noise pollution, according to a report by Deutsche Welle.

In the capital Accra, authorities are seeking to deal with the noise caused by these places of worship and mosques in particular.

Mosques are being asked to use mobile text or WhatsApp messages to call the Muslim community to prayer.

Why is it that time for prayer cannot be transmitted with text message or WhatsApp? So the imam would send WhatsApp messages to everybody, said environment minister Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.

I think that will help to reduce the noise. This may be controversial but its something that we can think about, he told DW.

The government says it is hopeful such a change could contribute to a reduction in excessive noise.

For many Muslims living in the capital, the idea of a mobile call to prayer is more difficult to embrace.

Fadama community mosque imam, Sheik Usan Ahmed, calls Muslims to prayer five times at prescribed times throughout the day. Although he agrees that the level of noise could be reduced, relying on text and WhatsApp messages could also have economic implications, he told DW.

The imam is not paid monthly. Where would he get the money to be doing that? We try to practice what is possible. So the text message or any other message is not a problem. But I dont think it is necessary, Ahmed said.

Other Muslim residents who spoke to DW also rejected the suggestion. I dont find anything wrong with Muslims waking up at dawn and using the megaphone to call their people to come worship their god because we have Christian churches who use megaphones as well and they also preach at dawn, said Nora Nsiah.

Another Accra resident, Kevin Pratt, also dismissed Frimpong-Boatengs suggestion: Not everyone is on social media, and not everyone is as literate as he is. The Muslim call to prayer is traditionally supposed to reach as far as possible, Habiba Ali added.

The government has signalled it ultimately intends to enforce laws in order to quiet things down in Ghana.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned of the harmful impact exposure to environmental noise may have on public health.

It lists cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment among some of the short and long-term problems people could develop.

Source: NAN

In this article, we look at howestrogenandmenopauseaffect the skin, and whether rashes are related to these hormonal changes:

Estrogen plays a vital role in keeping the skin young, elastic, and healthy. Estrogen helps the skin by:

*Stimulating the production of oil, collagen, and other substances involved in skin health.

*Promoting wound healing.

*Reducing inflammatory skin disorders during pregnancy or periods of high estrogen.

*Possibly protecting against mortality from melanoma and other skin cancers.

*Providing some protection against sun damage.

While decreasing estrogen levels do have an impact on a persons skin, there are many other factors involved in skin health. These factors can include:

*sun exposure or damage
*dehydration
*smoking
*fat redistribution
*genetics

There is no evidence to suggest that menopause is linked to a specific type of rash. However, as a woman approaches menopause, the body becomes significantly more sensitive to changes in temperature, particularly heat.

During and before menopause, a woman may suddenly feel hot and sweaty, causing her face to become flushed or red. These are known as hot flashes, and they can be mild or severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Decreased estrogen levels can cause the skin to become itchy, sensitive, or irritated. Women may also notice that they are more sensitive to itchy fabrics, soaps, or beauty products. Scratching at itchy skin can causehivesand rashes.

A woman who has a rash should consider switching to natural or fragrance-free products to reduce irritation andinflammation. If rashes become especially problematic, she should see a dermatologist for further advice.

The decline in estrogen and other hormones can cause changes in a womans hair, causing it to thin or fall out.

During menopause, women may also notice that hair begins to grow on their face where it had not previously grown. This can include under the chin, along the jawline, or on the upper lip.

Women have many options for dealing with unwanted facial hair. Waxing and shaving are easy at-home options. A dermatologist can provide other options, such as laser treatment or hair removal cream.

As estrogen levels fall, it can cause the skin to get thinner and more delicate, meaning it is more easily damaged. Thinning skin can even lead to more frequent and noticeable bruising.

It is essential to use an SPF 30 sunscreen every day, even when not spending a lot of time in the sun. While sunscreen cannot treat thinning skin, it can prevent it from getting worse.

A woman should see her dermatologist if thin skin presents a serious problem with tearing or injury. The doctor may be able to suggest medical treatments that can help manage the problem.

In addition to thinning skin, women in perimenopause or menopause are more likely to have issues with dry or flaky skin.

This is because estrogen helps the skin to hold on to water, keeping it soft and moist. Without estrogen, the skin is prone to drying out.

To prevent dry skin, people can use a gentler cleanser, as traditional soaps can be particularly drying for older women. Moisturizing right after showering or bathing is best.

People should avoid using exfoliants or other strong products because they can be particularly damaging to delicate or dry skin.

Age spots are a common complaint of menopausal women. This is usually a sign of sun damage that has occurred throughout a womans lifetime.

Wearing sunscreen consistently and from an early age is the best way to prevent age spots and skin cancer developing later in life.

Some types of skin cancer can look like an age spot, so it is essential to see a dermatologist regularly. The risk of skin cancer increases with age and sun exposure.

Skin changes are a common complaint among women during or approaching menopause.
While these issues are the result of normal hormonal changes, there are a few things that women can do to help prevent them from happening or getting worse. Simple steps include:

*Using moisturizer: An oil-free moisturizer can help to keep skin thick and soft.

*Choose something gentle and free from perfumes or dyes to minimize the risk of irritation.

*Wearing sunscreen every day: Regular use of sunscreen can help prevent skin damage from sun exposure.

*Taking sun protection seriously: In addition to wearing sunscreen, wear hats, sunglasses, and other protective clothing to keep the skin covered up while exposed to the sun.

: It is important for women to see a dermatologist every year. In addition to screening forcanceror other suspicious marks, it is also a great opportunity to ask questions about problems or concerns about the skin.

While there is no evidence that menopause can cause a rash, it is common for women to experience reddening and irritation of the skin during a hot flash. This is usually short-lived and will resolve once the hot flash goes away.

Avoiding skin irritants, applying sunscreen daily, and seeing a dermatologist can help women manage or prevent some of the other skin conditions associated with menopause.

*This article by Nicole Galan was culled from

Source: NAN

Colourful and oozing defiance, a sports-friendly version of the abaya gown was once considered a symbol of cultural rebellion in conservative Saudi Arabia, but it is fast becoming the new normal.

Pictures of female athletes running in the garb in the Red Sea city of Jeddah went viral last month, setting off a new debate on sartorial freedoms for women in a country where the typically all-black, body-shrouding garment is obligatory in public.

Some cultural purists vented fury online, calling it a breach of tradition, but opposition has been largely muted following recent comments from powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the abaya any abaya is not mandatory in Islam.

Until a formal edict comes however, designers such as Eman Joharjy are cashing in on the growing popularity of the so-called sports abayas, as many women push back against traditional attitudes of equating chastity with dress code.

There is a big demand, Joharjy told AFP at her fashion studio in Jeddah.

Having them in different colours is empowering.

Akin to a zippered jumpsuit, sports abayas envelop a womans body but offer greater mobility for sporting activities, in contrast to the classic baggy version where tripping on the hem of the flowing garment is a common risk.

The 43-year-olds designs come in colours like pistachio green, beige and white more tolerable in the kingdoms scorching heat and she uses natural fabrics, including French poplin, that do not cling to a sweating body.

One of the early pioneers of the trend, Joharjy said she was branded a social outlier and jeered by some as batman when she began designing and donning sports abayas publicly in 2007.

There was a little bit of rebellion but I designed it for myself, because its practical, she said.

You zip up and are ready to go.

Soccer-themed abayas

Joharjy has defied a popular maxim in Saudi Arabia: If its not black, its not an abaya.

Abayas have evolved over the years, with new patterns, fabrics and embellishments, and they are sometimes worn in the kingdom with baseball-style caps over headscarves.

The latest fad is an eye-catching ensemble of soccer-themed abayas in the colours of the local teams, a new way for female sporting fans to cheer for their favourite players.

Such fashion trends are gaining momentum amid the kingdoms liberalisation drive, including a historic royal decree allowing women to drive from June and enter sports stadiums for the first time.

The government is also seeking to jump-start womens sports and is moving toward compulsory physical education classes for girls, after a ban was lifted in 2014.

Saudi officials recently announced that women would be able to participate next year in the Riyadh international marathon, previously a male-only event.

Women exercising in public were long a target for the kingdoms austere religious police, which has largely been neutered in recent years.

And the once-unthinkable idea of doing away with the abaya appears to now be gaining traction.

The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of Sharia: that women wear decent, respectful clothing, like men, Prince Mohammed told CBS Television last month.

This, however, does not particularly specify a black abaya. (It) is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire to wear.

Modest look

Muslim cleric Sheikh Ahmed bin Qassim al-Ghamdi added a new wrinkle to the debate when he dismissed the long-held view that black was the only colour for abayas permissible in Islam.

The cloak is meant for maintaining a modest look and it does not have to be black, the former chief of the religious police in the holy city of Mecca, told Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television last month.

But the risk of a social backlash is real in a society steeped in conservatism.

They look like cleaners! a tweet said, in response to viral images of athletes dressed in sports abayas.

Their purpose is not sports. We have all been running in full body veil, tweeted another.

Back at Joharjys studio, a longtime client Marwa al-Hadi walked in wearing one of her designs with magenta sneakers.

Abaya is like the Indian saree, it is part of our identity, Joharjy told her, as they weighed in on the future evolution of the garment.

But at the same time, if God did not want women to do sports, we would not have muscles or a body.

Hadi nodded.

It is no ones business to stop and question what Im wearing, she said.

*AFP

Source: NAN

Source: NAN

South Africas former president Jacob Zuma is hugging the headlines again with reports that he has fathered a new baby from a 24-year-old woman.

She gave birth to his child in a Durban hospital last week Thursday on his birthday, News24 said.

TimesLIVE identified the woman as Nonkanyiso Conco and went further to say she is set to become Zumas seventh wife.

Zuma is 76 years old.

Yes we are getting married but that is all I can say. I need to consult before I give any interviews she said.

Conco is a director of the Pietermaritzburg-based Nomkhubulwane Culture and Youth Development Organisation aimed at protecting the cultural practices of young Zulu women.

Conco reportedly resides in the plush Ballito Estate Hilltop home to some of the citys most well-heeled residents.

According to News24, the woman delivered the child at the Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital last Thursday Zumas birthday.

Zuma is a polygamist who has fathered 22 known children from at least 11 women.

News24 relying on three sources reportef thar that Zuma came to visit his baby under strict security on Thursday night.

They had to clear the maternity ward for other patients. Hospital staff made it clear that this was strictly confidential, a source with direct knowledge of the birth told News24.

Ray Zuma, who is related to the former president, confirmed to News24 that Zuma was going to wed a woman named Nonkanyiso Chonco.

When asked if Conco was the same woman who had given birth to a baby earlier this month, Ray Zuma responded by saying: So?

I cant see why you are interested. When he was still the president, you [the media] were terrorising him, and now you are all of a sudden interested in him.

When asked about the details of the wedding, he said he was not privy to the details.

No date has been set yet. Both families must come together to decide on the date. We are still in the pre-nuptial phases of the process.

Zumas son Edward told News24, when asked about the baby: We are not going to respond, or entertain any of that nonsense.

When News24 visited the hospital earlier in the week, an employee confirmed that Zuma had visited the facility.

Yes he was here last week. I saw him with his security. I do not know why he came through.

But other sources confirmed the baby was Zumas. Hospital staff were briefed to keep it a closely guarded secret and only told this is JZs child and a VIP delivery.

Hillcrest Private Hospital management declined to comment saying they would not divulge details of any patient.

Reported by News 24

Source: NAN

The Zimbabwe government has sacked all striking nurses at public hospitals after they turned down a government offer of 17.1 million U.S. dollars to improve their pay.

The government said in a statement on Tuesday that it regarded the industrial action as politically motivated, and that it would immediately employ new nurses and recall those who retired from the service to replace the sacked health personnel.

Following the decision by government yesterday (Monday) to accede to the demands made by the striking nurses, government regrets to note that the industrial action in this essential service sector has persisted.

What makes the whole action both deplorable and reprehensible is the fact that as agreed yesterday (Monday) government today (Tuesday) released and transferred a sum of 17.1 million (U.S. dollars) into the account of the Ministry of Health and Child Care for payment to the striking nurses.

While this demonstrated good faith from the government which has been effected against demonstrable economic challenges facing our nation, (it) has not, quite surprisingly, persuaded the nurses to go back to their work stations in the interest of saving lives and helping patients placed under their care.

Government now regards this lack of remorse as politically motivated and thus as going beyond conditions of service and worker welfare.

Accordingly, government has decided to discharge all the striking nurses with immediate effect, the statement said.

The number of nurses fired could not be immediately established.

Nurses at major public hospitals countrywide, including in the capital Harare and second city of Bulawayo, are on strike.

The strike by the nurses over better pay and working conditions was the second this year and followed a month-long strike by doctors last month.

Source: NAN

By Peter Ejiofor
In its continued quest to provide families with more healthier and delicious food choices, Nestl Nigeria has introduced its new breakfast cereal, GOLDEN MORN Puffs.

Introducing the product on Wednesday at a Media Executive Meeting in Lagos, Nestles Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, said it was made purely from grains and cereals.

GOLDEN MORN Puffs is proudly produced in Nigeria for Nigerians. It is fortified with vitamins and iron to contribute to the efforts to address micronutrient deficiency in the country.

Micronutrient deficiency is the lack of essential vitamins and minerals required in small amounts by the body for proper growth and development.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 2 billion people in the world are affected by iron deficiency, which is the most common micronutrient disorder in sub-Saharan Africa, Uwadoka said.

The major health consequences of deficiency in essential micronutrients include impaired physical and cognitive development, which translates to reduced performance of school-aged children among others.

It is important to note that annually, Nigeria loses over 1.5 billion dollars in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) directly and indirectly to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Mr Aboubacar Coulibaly, Category Manager, Dairy, said that NESTL GOLDEN MORN Puffs, made from maize, millet, oats and soya, is fortified with GRAINSMART a unique combination of vitamins and iron.

Food fortification is a strategy that Nestl has adopted to help address the burden of micro-nutrient deficiency.

With 50 per cent of our portfolio already fortified with micronutrients, the introduction of Golden Morn Puffs breakfast cereal today is another step towards the fulfilment of our commitment to provide healthier, delicious food choices for all age groups, a journey we have been on for the past 57 years in Nigeria, he said.

Coulibaly disclosed that 94 per cent of the grains and cereals used in the production of Golden Morn Puffs is sourced locally.

We are very happy to announce to you today that the work we have been doing with local farmers for the past 7 years on capacity building and grain quality improvement is yielding results.

Ninety-four percent of the agricultural raw materials for the product we are launching today, Golden Morn Puffs was supplied by Nigerian farmers, he added.

He said that Nestl Nigeria would continue to invest in the development of nutrient rich delicious food to fulfil its purpose, which is enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nestl Nigeria Plc began simple trading operations in Nigeria in 1961 and has grown into a leading food manufacturing and marketing company.

Nestl Nigeria is the biggest food company in West Africa and employs around 2,400 people and has three world class factories.

It manufactures and markets a range of high quality brands, including NESTL PURE LIFE, GOLDEN MORN, MILO, KITKAT, MAGGI and NESCAF.

Source: NAN

Source: NAN