By Emmanuel Afonne

Popular Nigerian artiste, Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo , popularly called Dbanj, has rewarded five young talented Nigerians with one million naira each to develop themselves.

The reward came through the CREAM Platform, Nigerias premiere creative reward platform founded by Dbanj and supported by Heritage Bank.

A statement by Chief Damian Okoroafor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CREAM Platform, said that five other fans of Dbanj got N200,000.00 each after an electronic random picking of numbers.

Okoroafor also said that Dbanj promised to support the businesses and passion of the fans who got the ne million naira and N200,000.00 reward respectively.

CREAM Platform, Nigerias premiere creative reward platform, officially kicked off its partnership with Heritage Banks YNSPYRE Initiative with the commencement of the CREAM Monthly draws on March 26, 2021.

It rewarded subscribers who dialed the 745463# code with lots of cash and other prizes.

The event, hosted by one of CREAM Platform YNSPYRE beneficiaries, Damilola Adeyemi, started off with an Instagram live session with the host to usher in Dbanj who was greeted with a warm welcome.

Testimonials from previous CREAM beneficiaries were on display for all to see before the major events of the night happened.

The day rounded off with three selected winners from CREAM Platform with HANZY, a music artiste winning the Cream Top 10 category, while BERRI TIGA got the winning nod based on Merit.

CLARA ADEN, a visual artist was picked based on Innovation, the statement quoted Okoroafor as saying.

According to Okoroafor, the CREAM and YNSPYRE are out to leave an indelible mark in the African Creative Industry.

He said that fans could partake in the goodies by just dialing 745463# from any network or visit www.creamplatform.com to get a chance of winning in the next edition scheduled to hold on April 30.

The monthly event will also hold on May 28, June 25, July 30 and Aug. 27, 2021, which is the grand finale draw date in celebration of CREAM Platforms 5th year anniversary, Okoroafor added.

Popular Nollywood Actress and Ambassador, Tonto Dikeh attended the event.

Others at the event included George Oko-Oboh, Regional Executive, Abuja and North, Heritage Bank Plc; Isaiah Ediae, Executive at Heritage Bank Plc, and Seyi Akinrinmade, General Manager CREAM Platform. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

Alhaji Sani Lulu, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said on Tuesday that plans are in the pipeline to transform his football Academy, FOSLA, into a football university.

Lulu who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, explained that the move was to give players of the academy the best education as they build their football career.

He said the move would also help players of FOSLA Football club to to strike a balance between their studies and playing football, as they now participate in the Nationwide League One (NLO).

Basically, you can see that the NLO league is on and all my players are university undergraduates. I just need the country to create enabling environment for these boys to excel instead of going abroad.

When I started this programme, I met the Vice Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University and we entered into partnership with them but the school calendar is quite different from what is obtainable in the league.

This is just the beginning of the programme, the ultimate objective is to look for the best way to run this programme and also participate in the university programme.

Ultimately, if there is support from government, I should be able to establish FOSLA University where there will be no interference to accommodate their academic session.

It was quite frustrating getting our players to combine their academic programme and football activities; we know what we went through. So, the best way to run this type of programme is to have our own University.

And if really we have to get the best and in no distant time, we shall be streamlining this and getting it collectively done, Lulu said.

According to him, the players are being trained to play in the elite league in the country unless foreign clubs are able to meet their demands.

I wish the players can stay in the country after graduation so that the value of football will be so high that they will be generating revenue for not only the club but also for the Nigerian government; this is my vision.

It is not only about getting mineral resources to generate revenue; we can generate revenue through football.

Through this programme, we should be able to harness their talents so they can be very useful to our nation.

I will not be in a hurry to sell them to foreign clubs but where they are so outstanding and can be rated as any other international player, not at a cheap rate, then the clubs can take them if they meet our demand.

So, anybody who wants to take them must be prepared, if not, they will play in our local leagues and become the best in the continent.

If foreign clubs must take them, the money they pay should be enough for me to develop others. So, the most important thing is that the boys would be encouraged to finish their education, he added.

He noted that players would be valued more financially after graduating from the University while playing football and would worth less if the reverse is the case.

If a player is not educated he may be denied the minimum requirement to be an independent citizen and he cannot manage his resources no matter how much is involved. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Rtd.) says the military has recorded a progressive return of peace to the North-East.

He stated this when the Senate Committee on Defence, led by its Chairman, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko visited the ministry on Tuesday for oversight.

Magashi who said that Nigeria had been contending with diverse internal security challenges, noted that peace was returning to some parts of the country affected by insurgents.

Nigeria has been contending with diverse internal security challenges even as it grapples with the unconventional warfare waged against her by the terrorist group, Boko Haram and banditry in some states like Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara.

The armed forces is confronting the emerging threat of banditry in other parts of the country especially in the North-Central and the North-West.

These challenges have tasked the constructive capabilities of our armed forces with attendant losses of our gallant officers and men in the line of duty.

The armed forces have continued to contend with the challenges of ensuring insurgents intermittent incursions are constantly repelled.

However, we have achieved a level of tranquillity, Magashi said.

The minister, however, said that with the support of the National Assembly. the ministry would consolidate on its current strides and ultimately achieve sustainable tranquillity.

In his remarks, Wamakko said he was confident that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges.

The entire country wants to know where we are in terms of security. I am confident that we will overcome our challenges as daunting as they are, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Abuja for London, United Kingdom, for routine medical check-up.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president and few of his aides departed the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja for London at about 2.30p.m.

Those at the airport to bid the president farewell included the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammed Bello, Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu and other presidential aides.

NAN reports that before departing the presidential villa the president had met behind closed doors with security chiefs where he directed them to fish out and crush heads of bandits, kidnappers and their local collaborators to restore confidence in the society.

NAN reports that the president, who last travelled to London for medical check-up in May 2018, is expected back in the country during the second week of April, 2021. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

The fifth legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament has adopted its four-year strategic plan, (2020-2024) that would provide a direction in decision making and allocation of resources across member states.

The ECOWAS Parliament adopted the draft strategic plan, on Tuesday, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, at its ongoing Extraordinary Session, according a statement on Tuesday by its Public Relations Department.

The statement stated that the strategic plan identified program areas, with themes and priority areas that would systematically assist the Parliament in executing its mandate, as defined by the ECOWAS Supplementary Act.

It added that the Strategic Plan would provide direction in decision making and allocation of resources, to enable the Parliament attain its goals, while focusing on its mandates and top priorities.

It will provide guidance on the efficient and effective utilisation of scarce resources.

In addition, it will serve as the basis for Monitoring and Evaluating of the performance of Parliament, during the tenure of the current legislature, the statement said.

Members of Parliament further expressed optimism that the Plan would serve as a springboard to launch a new revolution that would bring the Community Parliament closer to the people.

The strategic document disclosed that the ECOWAS Parliament, for the purpose of the fifth legislature, has adopted its Vision and Mission as follows:

Vision, emergence of a citizen oriented parliament aimed at fostering the ideas of integration.

Mission, to promote citizens representation, participation, and ownership in decision-making.

On its strategic orientation, the Parliament noted that the document had revealed that since its inception in 2000, it had remained a body that represented the interest of the people in West Africas integration process.

That focus, it said, had never changed, except that the style might vary from one leadership to another.

While noting that the ECOWAS Parliament was relatively assured of basic funding due to the advantages derivable from the Community Levy, the strategic plan pointed out that lack of dedicated membership at the ECOWAS

Parliament had affected the conduct of its programmes and activities.

The Parliament further noted that in order to implement the plan, an Annual Work Plan would be drawn, to provide details of activities to be implemented each year. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The National Defence College (NDC), on Tuesday, officially pulled out the immediate Commandant, Rear Adm. Mackson Kadiri, out of service, following his retirement from active military service.

In his valedictory speech, Kadiri thanked God for a successful sojourn in the armed forces, adding that he had spent nearly 37 years in the military, which he described as a unique profession.

He added that he was proud to be identified with the profession, because of its excellent tradition and the training it provided him in the last 37 years to acquire professional skills, through which he was able to contribute to nation building.

I have had the privilege of being nurtured by the armed forces, particularly the navy, where I have travelled far and wide in the world, to gain experience and also meet people.

I will join the league of my illustrious seniors, who are on retirement, to continue to mount advocacy for improvement in the capacity of armed forces, particularly in todays world where the immediate and strategic security environment is fluid and dangerous, he said.

The former Commandant commended the bravery and resilience of members of the armed forces of Nigeria in ensuring that the nation remained inviolate.

He urged members of the armed forces to continue to give their best to ensure that the problem of insecurity was addressed.

To the officers who are gathered here, I will like to urge and reiterate that the capacity of the armed forces will depend to a large extent on the leadership that officers provide.

I will urge you to bear it in mind that the effectiveness of human authority has a moral and ethical content.

To this extent, I will like to say that the leadership that we will continue to give to the men and women in uniform will not only be by the authority of power rank, but by the authority of power example, he said.

Kadiri also called on participants at the college to take advantage of the composition of the courses at the NDC that reflected the requirements to tackle and manage the nations complex security environment.

According to him, because the situation was complex, it required a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency approach.

He urged them to apply the course in their schedules with a view to improving global security, to make the world a better place for all. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament has appealed to President Julius Madda Bio of Sierra Leone to champion the campaign for direct universal suffrage at the level of the Authority of the ECOWAS Heads of States and Government.

The Public Relations Department of the Parliament which disclosed this on Tuesday said Tunis made the appeal at the ongoing 2021 First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Freetown, the Sierra Leonean capital.

According to the speaker, Parliament under his leadership remains committed to the call for direct election of members to the ECOWAS Parliament which he said was one of the strategic plans of the fifth legislature.

I seize this opportunity to call on Your Excellency, Mr President, to kindly grant this your unwavering support by serving as the champion of this cause at the level of the Authority of Heads of States as its success will guarantee that the people have vested interest in civic affairs and being actively involved in the decision-making processes at all levels and in all dimensions, the speaker said.

Tunis noted that since its formation in 2000, the Parliament had endeavoured to perform its role diligently.

He, however, expressed regret that the election of members by direct universal suffrage, the power to initiate legislation, and the Parliamentary Ombudsman had remained noticeable casualties.

That is why during the inauguration of the 5th Legislature, I identified the election of members by direct universal suffrage as a key policy agenda of my tenure.

In order to achieve this, I immediately established an Ad hoc Committee which comprises of 16 Members of Parliament and chaired by the Honorable 1st Deputy Speaker.

To review the feasibility of achieving the election of Members to the Community Parliament by direct universal suffrage.

The Committee successfully held its first meeting in Lagos and the report from that meeting was adopted during our last session.

More engagements are on the way and the prospects of achieving this are high.

You would all agree with me that direct election by the people we serve creates a sense of responsibility in the leaders and makes them realize that they have been chosen by the people to perform in a patriotic and dedicated role, he added.

This will compel them to use the power and authority they have in a positive way for the benefit of the masses.

We believe that unless people participate in the development process, our set targets and objectives cannot be fully attained, Tunis stated.

President Bio who lauded the idea of direct universal suffrage said it would promote accountability in the representation process of member states.

Pledging to lead the campaign at the highest level, Bio said he was certain that the Authority of Heads of State of the community would discuss the matter when it is laid before them.

He also urged ECOWAS to consider the countries in the region prime destinations for investment.

We can do so by adopting practices, policies, and regulations (including taxation) that are uniform and even across borders.

We should harness greater regional economic integration and more market linkages in the entire sub-region, Bio said.

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The National Working Committee (NWC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a four man executives for Borno chapter of the party.

PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, performed the ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja.

Secondus, represented by PDP Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Suleiman Nazif, advised PDP members in the state to be united towards winning the state in 2023 governorship election.

We will have turbulence in capturing the centre if we do not win Borno, all of you are aware of the need for PDP to capture Borno in 2023.

All the organs of the party listen to the voice of Borno PDP leaders, we want PDP winning power in the state, he said.

Secondus advised that what happened in the state in 2019 should not be allowed to repeat itself, saying that 2019 was a bad outing for PDP in the state.

He called on the new executive officers to be a rallying point for members in the state.

Mr chairman, you must show the NWC that you are willing to work with every member of PDP in Borno.

You must do everything that will promote the unity of our great party in Borno, he said.

He commended the party leaders in the North-East for unifying the factions within the party in the state.

He pledged that PDP national leadership would give the necessary support to the state chapter.

Speaking on behalf of the new executives, Mr Usman Badairi said with the Supreme Court ruling of March 12,2021 reinstating the executives in the state, PDP was ready to regain power in 2023.

He appreciated the judiciary for standing in the path of truth and justice in recognising the four executive officers.

He stressed that the judgment was not for him but for survival of democracy.

He said the judgment and subsequent inauguration of the executives had put an end to factionalisation in the state PDP.

What we have now is Borno PDP and no more factions, he said.

He commended the Bukola Saraki led national reconciliation and strategy committee for its role in reconciling the PDP factions in the state.

Source: NAN News

By Obinna Unaeze

A faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger has suspended former Gov. Babangida Aliyu from the party for alleged anti-party activities.

This is contained in a statement signed by eight ward Chairmen and seven members of the PDP in the LGA in Minna on Tuesday.

The former governor of Niger, Dr Babangida Aliyu is hereby suspended from the party in Chanchaga LGA in pursuant to a stakeholders meeting held on March 29.

That the allegations leveled against him be forwarded to him to respond within 14 days.

However, Mr Jemilu Saidu, the LGA PDP Chairman, exonerated the ex-governor of the allegations, insisting that he was still a member of the party.

How can you suspend a member of the party without confirmation from the party Chairman from his local government area.

We heard the news this afternoon that the state party leader, Dr Babangida Aliyu has been suspended by a group of party members.

In fact, we held a meeting with Aliyu yesterday and this group in question was not at the meeting, he said.

Malam Yahaya Ebbo, the PDP ward Chairman of Tudun Wada where the former governor hailed from also dissociated himself from the suspension.

We are not aware of any suspension against our party leader, he said.

Hajiya Habiba Haruna, the State PDP Women Leader, said there was no need for the gang-up against the ex-governor as he was carrying along every member as the party leader.

What these people are doing is to serve their selfish interest. If not how can you suspend such a calibre of person without following due process, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Tuesday launched a policy document aimed at tackling all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.

Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said in Abuja that the document was to institutionalise an internal gender mainstreaming strategy in NAPTIP.

Umar-Farouk said that it was also targetedat giving proper operation to GBV issues and address gender gaps by contributing to the realisation of eliminating the menace.

I believe that the launch of this NAPTIPs gender policy will complement the agencys operational strategies to curb gender-based violence and address gender gaps.

It will also chart a new course in the management of the agencys relationships with its various partners and clients, she said.

Umar-Farouk called on policy makers to analyse the society critically in order to recognise the discriminatory practices against women in particular, as well as men.

The ministercalled on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt and strengthen measures to mainstream gender concerns in all their activities and programmes.

Earlier, NAPTIP Director General, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stated that the policy document was produced in collaboration with some foreign organisations.

According to her, it was produced under the two years programme on prevention of forced migration and trafficking in women and girls in Nigeria.

She said the document would provide the platform that would guide NAPTIP work in gender secure response.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim added that it would promote gender sensitive environment that would address forced migration, trafficking and other GBV crimes.

Women equality and empowerment, being one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development.

Of particular reference is SDG five, which is aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women in the public and private spheres.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, she stated.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that the document would strengthen gender clauses and mainstreaming of gender into policies, legislations, programmes and operations of NAPTIP.

It willassist in the prosecutionof male and female offenders, with attention to their gender needs, strengtheningthe network of stakeholders, groups, and individuals at all levels in Nigeria, she added.

Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Country Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, pledged to support Nigeria in the area of protection of womens rights.

Lamptey called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to take necessary steps to implement the policy.

She commended NAPTIP for coming up with such a policy document as well as government for the political will to end human trafficking.

The achievement of gender equality and protection of womens rights is critical if Nigeria is to meet its deepest aspirations in this decade of action as we race to attain the SDG targets, Lamptey said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News