May 29 Democracy Day is an all-encompassing reflection of the past struggle for Democratic rule, interrogation of The Current Democratic rule and meditation for better future of Democratic governance in our dear mother Land. Whatsoever the narrative the advocates of June 12 Democracy Day May have pushed, May 29 remains most significant in our journey to Democratic rule. Every struggle, pains, losses and goals, pre and post June 12, cumulated into reality, return of military to the barracks, on May 29.

 To my mind, the APC government and the so-called progressive were in their usual hate moods to eliminate PDP/Obasanjo government legacy and contributions to sustenance of democracy in our country, Nigeria, unfortunately they failed, when they enact June 12 Democracy Day into federal law. Another voyage of pettiness and disdain for the pass years they have just embark on, is the reversal of the national anthem.

As expected, but saddening, the APC politicians and they sycophantic supporters are very loud to announce their latest voyage to our ugly past, return of old national anthem – “Nigeria we hail thee.”

These self acclimated Democrats forgot that the anthem referenced is a composition of the colonial masters and handed to our founding fathers on Independence Day. They forgot the lyrics of that anthem never made any sense to our people, given the turbulence of the twenty – eight years of its redemption, political betrayals, political thuggery and violence, bloody military coups, civil war, ethnic suppression and discrimination, abandoned properties, these are the sign post of that era.

Even at the current time, with enormous poverty and economic downtown, should a sane government involve in careless spending of the national wealth? Billions will be expended in this process to re-introduce the old anthem.

Come June 12 Democracy Day, we will be hearing about how the election of that day was absolutely transparent, free and fair for all parties. The question therefore, these acclaimed Democrats and Progressives are they atoned to the principles of transparent, free, fair elections, and government of the people by the people for the people? Their conduct has proven the contrary. Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was a hero and remain an enigma in both our national life and humanity endeavours. That he deserves to be immortalise can not be overemphasized. And this has been done adequately. Another soothing possible thing for the government to do is to declared June 12, National Heroes Day, not a national holiday please.

I want to empathetically suggest that the peoples Democratic Party National Executive Committee should pass a resolution to the effect of May 29 remains the democracy day and urge their state governors to implement same in their states. Remember, the south west states of AD, AC/ACN government celebrated June 12 Democracy Day during the sixteen years of PDP government.

As I conclude, let me say my upward looking career in the MINT was cut short in 1995, by the then military government as consequences of NADECO movement. Hence, my career is one of the too many collateral damages of June 12 struggle. Also, I was enlisted into the SDP at the formation stage ’89/90 in my Ward 06, Estako-West LGA Edo state. Hence, I was an ardent adherent of “HOPE ’93. The joy of June 12 victory was ecstatic just as the sadness of Association of Better Nigeria (ABN) midnight Court injunction was depressing.

Happy Democracy Day!

Alhaji Kasimu Ofeimukpiaha Ebozogie.

LGA EXCO Member

Peoples Democratic Party

Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA

Lagos State.

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According to the World Bank Group report published in 2016 “Building Regulation for Resilience: Managing Risks for Safer Cities”, the 132-page report offers an astonishing preview of an impending global building spree. Excerpts from the report state “New urban development between 2015 and 2030 will exceed all previous urban development throughout history” and “Of the area expected to be urbanized by 2030, 60 per cent remains to be built, primarily in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.” Without a doubt, the Sub-Saharan Africa region of the world is witnessing unprecedented growth and it’s becoming challenging for city managers. Fueling the surge, experts say, will be a mass human migration away from rural villages to burgeoning mega-cities as people seek jobs, housing, and medical care, and the very attempt to escape poverty and climate disasters.

By 2050, the United Nations estimates that cities will add 2.5 billion people—nearly the entire combined populations of present-day China and India—and will double in area. A staggering 90 per cent of that growth will occur in Africa and Asia, mostly in countries that the World Bank now defines as low- and middle-income. As a result, cities in these regions are expected to grow magnitudes larger than any urban areas currently in existence.

According to a population model developed by researchers at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, African cities that today barely register to most Global North cities — Lagos, Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam, Khartoum, Niamey, Nairobi—could all have populations greater than 40 million by 2100, which would make them larger than today’s Tokyo currently the world’s most populated city at about 37.3 million. Even sleepy cities like Lilongwe and Blantyre, both in the small African nation of Malawi, could grow from barely a million residents to the size of present-day New York (about 9 million) by 2075, according to the Canadian model. From the model, the City of Lagos, for example, already the eighth-largest metro area in the world, could number 85 to 100 million residents by 2100.

For the global safety community concerned with fire and disaster risk, including the National Fire Protection Association, the scale and pace of this urbanization and accompanying development create a daunting challenge—but they also carry enormous potential. In a 2016 report by the World Bank Group described the present moment as a “window of opportunity” to ensure that future urban development is created with greater resilience to withstand environmental hazards such as sea-level rise and drought, as well as chronic disasters including fires and building collapses. The report also announced a new program designed to help governments adopt more robust regulation and enforcement strategies ahead of the anticipated building boom. With the pace of growth in the building sector in Lagos, are fire safety measures and preparedness key in residential building development and approval?

Fire safety measures and preparedness in residential buildings are of utmost importance to ensure the safety and well-being of occupants. With a growing population and urbanization trends, the risk of fire incidents in residential areas has also increased. Understanding the regulatory framework, common fire hazards, and the significance of proactive fire safety preparedness is essential for both residents and building management. This article delves into the overview of fire safety regulations in Lagos, highlights common fire hazards in residential buildings, emphasizes the importance of fire safety preparedness, and provides insights into effective fire prevention strategies and emergency preparedness measures.

The influx of new residential buildings, combined with the ageing and unbridled nonchalant attitude of the people, as well as the non-enforcement of both the existing fire prevention and safety provisioning legislation in Lagos, has made the problem of fire incidents more alarming. The construction and environmental issues come into play in the analysis of fire outbreaks in Lagos. Rapid urbanization and population explosion have resulted in not only congestion in the urban settlement but also the establishment of many ‘shanties’ and sub-standard structures across the State. Many of the low-income housing, hurriedly built for the teeming population, lack basic firefighting facilities such as functional overhead tanks, escape routes, and access to roads by fire service vehicles. The majority of the old buildings and new ones do not comply with the provisions of the Lagos State Materials and Quality Control Law of 2003. The law stipulates that all building materials must be certified for usage in Lagos State; otherwise, the cause of fire could be traced to non-compliance with laid down quality regulations.

Also, Fire Service Law of Lagos State clearly makes provision for regulations that will ensure the safety of residential buildings. These regulations outline specific requirements and standards that property owners must adhere to in order to prevent and mitigate fire hazards. The common fire hazards in residential building are:

• Electrical Fire Risk: Electrical malfunctions and overloaded circuits pose fire hazards in residential buildings. Building developers should ensure that electrical insulations are carried out by professionals and standards electrical material are used. Residents should be cautious of faulty wiring, damaged cords and overheated electrical appliances to prevent electrical fires.
• Cooking and Kitchen Hazards: Another major source of fire in residential buildings is the kitchen. Unattended cooking, grease buildup, and flammable materials in kitchens are common fire hazards in residential buildings. Practicing safe cooking habits, keeping flammable items away from heat sources and installing proper ventilation can help mitigate kitchen fire risk.
• Combustible Materials and Clutter: Accumulation of combustible materials and clutter in residential spaces increases fire risk. Residents should maintain a clutter-free environment, store flammable items properly, and dispose of waste safely to reduce the likelihood of fire incidents. 
  Presently, understanding the impact of fires in residential buildings cannot be overemphasized. Fires in residential building can have devastating consequences, including property damage, injuries, and loss of life. It is crucial for residents to understand the potential impact of fires and take proactive measure to safeguard their homes and loved ones.  Implementing proactive fire safety measures, such as creating an evacuation plan, practicing fire drills, and investing in fire safety equipment, can significantly reduce the risk of fires and minimize their impact. Being prepared can save lives and protect property in the event of a fire emergency.

Globally, some of the fire prevention strategies for residential buildings include:

1. Regular Maintenance of Electrical Systems: ensuring regular inspection and maintenance of electrical systems can help identify potential hazards and prevent and prevents electrical fires in residential buildings. Residents should address any issues promptly and hire qualified professional for electrical repairs and upgrades.
2. Installation of Smoke Alarms and fire extinguishers: Installing smoke alarms on every level of a residential building and keeping fire extinguishers readily accessible are essential fire prevention measure. Smoke alarms provide early detection of fires, while fire extinguishers can help contain small fire before they escalate.
3. Proper Storage and Handling of Flammable Materials: Proper storage and handling of flammable materials such as fuels, cleaning agents, and aerosols are critical to preventing fire incidents. Residents should store flammable items in designated areas away from heat sources and follow safety guidelines for their use and disposal. 

Additionally, there are essential safety equipment and systems that are required for a modern residential building. These include:

1. Fire Suppression Systems: Fire suppression systems are like the superheroes of fire safety – ready to swoop in and save the day when things get hot. These systems include sprinklers, extinguishers and alarms that work together to combat fire swiftly and effectively.  
2. Emergency Lighting and Exit Signs: In the chaos of a fire, visibility is key to getting out safely. Emergency lighting and bright exit signs guide residents through smoke-filled corridors like beacons of hope, ensuring everyone can find their way to safety. 
3. Fire Drills and Evacuation Procedures: Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to fire safety. Regular fire drills and clear evacuation procedures help residents react quickly and calmly during emergencies, turning chaos into coordinated escape plans.
4. Creating a Detailed Escape Route Map: Think of an escape route map as your fire safety treasure map, except the real treasure is not getting out alive. Mapping out clear routes and meeting points ensures everyone knows where to go when the heat is on.
5. Importance of fire safety awareness campaigns: Spread the word, not the fire. Fire safety awareness campaigns educate and empower residents to make proactive steps in preventing fire, creating a community that is not just fire-safe, but fire-savvy too. Engaging workshops and training sessions equip residents with the skill and confidence to tackle fires head-on, turning panic into preparedness.
6. Establishing communication protocols: In an emergency, communication is key. Most residents don’t know the emergency number or the direct number to the fire station within their jurisdiction.  Thus strong ties and clear protocols must be developed with the fire department. Residents should know emergency services numbers by heart.     
7. Conducting Joint Training Exercises with Emergency Responders: Practice doesn’t just make perfect- it saves lives. Joint training exercises with emergency responders allows for seamless coordination and real-time simulations, turning residents into firefighting allies when it matters most.

In conclusion, prioritizing fire safety measures and preparedness in residential buildings in Lagos is crucial for protecting lives and property. By adhering to regulations, identifying and mitigating common fire hazards, and actively engaging in fire safety education and training, residents can enhance their readiness to respond effectively in case of a fire emergency. Also, collaboration with emergency services providers and the implementation of robust fire safety equipment and systems father contribute to creating a safe living environment for all individuals in residential buildings. Finally, it is important to stay informed, stay prepared and prioritize fire safety to safeguard against unforeseen risk and ensure living environment for everyone in Lagos State.

Lasisi, Adedoyin K.S is an environment and safety Expert and the coordinator of EKO EnviroTalk TV.

The post FIRE SAFETY MEASURES, PREPAREDNESS IN LAGOS RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS: UNDERSTANDING ITS IMPORTANCE appeared first on Sunrise News.

The city of Lagos, with its ever-increasing population and bustling economic activities, faces significant environmental challenges. With the ever-growing influx of people from all over the country into Lagos daily in search for greener pasture, coupled with the volume of businesses, manufacturing, trading activities and human movements around the state, it is understandable that its environmental challenges would be humongous and multidimensional.

Dirty markets, littered streets, blocked drainages due to indiscriminate waste disposal and plastic wastes and homeless miscreants squatting all around the state bridges, would readily have been the disgusting optics in the absence of proactive management and control.

However, the state government, particularly the current administration, is sparing no efforts in its renewed bid to safeguard the environment and ensure a clean and healthy city for residents to live and thrive.

Lagos, which has a population of over 20 million is projected to hit 32.6 million by 2050, and over 80 million by 2100, according to Global Cities Institute at the University of Toronto.

As the state evolves into a full-scale modern city befitting of its status, the government cannot afford to do less or rest on its oars. In fact, all residents and stakeholders must join hands with in the fight to maintain a conducive environment critical for sustainable living.

Just recently, in a bold move to halt further environmental violation in the area, the Lagos State Government dislodged scores of illegal squatters and miscreants residing under Ijora Bridge.

The commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab had reiterated that the exercise was aimed at addressing issues of gross environmental abuse, perpetrated by the illegal squatters, adding that the government would leave no stone unturned in restoring sanity to the environment across the metropolis.

At the core of the campaign for a clean and healthy environment is Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, the government agency which plays a crucial role in both the proactive and daily management of environmental issues in the state, as well as enforcements against recalcitrant violators through its enforcement team.

Earlier in January, residents woke up to the cheering news of a total ban on the usage and distribution of styrofoam packs and other single use plastics by the government.

The decision had followed the menace which the single use plastics, especially the non-biodegradable styrofoam was causing on the environment, as most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged, with a larger chunk of littering across major roads and markets attributed to same Styrofoam, despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with humongous resources.

Furthermore, Oke-Afa, Isolo and Katangua Markets, in the Abule Egba area, were also sealed in January for violating waste disposal regulations and for sundry unhygienic practices, constituting grave environmental infractions.

Wahab had charged that: “The government has not jettisoned its zero tolerance for waste and the only way for markets and traders, is to engage in decent and civilised waste disposal practices as outlined by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) as any market or facility that runs foul will face sanctions”.

Last November, the government reopened the Mushin main market, Ojuwoye, Awolowo, Irepodun and Daleko markets in the densely populated Mushin area of the state, after the traders made amends to correct widespread environmental infractions, including indiscriminate waste dumping.

Mile 12 international, Owode Onirin and Oyingbo markets were all also not spared last October as they were all sealed but reopened only after complying with environmental standards as stipulated by the government.  

Similarly, an Environmental Special Offences Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, last November handed down fines and community service penalties, to over 100 environmental offenders, found guilty of indiscriminate waste disposal, across the state.

The presiding magistrate underscored the gravity of the offences and impact on the environment, subsequently imposing a fine of ₦30,000 on each offender, with an option of six hours of community service, in designated areas like the General Hospital, Odan, and Tinubu Market in Lagos Island.

Beyond shutting markets and punishing violators, dialogue, awareness and other engagements, have also been well explored by the government and its core environmental agencies especially LAWMA.

Determined to instil a positive environmental consciousness in the younger generation, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), last November, went on a sensitisation mission to pupils of Otto Primary School, Otto, Lagos Mainland, on proper waste management, with emphasis on recycling, as a source of personal revenue.

The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who led the team, addressed the pupils on the importance of proper waste management, noting that the exercise was part of the Authority’s environmental sustainability initiatives, to instill responsible waste management practices in children.

He said; “I am glad to be among you all today. In LAWMA you mean so much to us and that is why we have deemed it fit to visit your school first, being the closest to us here in Otto. Diseases like malaria, diarrhoea and the like, thrive in environments that are unkempt and polluted with activities like littering, reckless waste dumping, and open defecation and so on. To avoid all of these, it behoves you to do what is right by disposing of your waste properly into the waste bins’’, he stressed.

As the 3-week moratorium before the enforcement of total ban on styrofoam packs endures, LAWMA has held a consultative meeting with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), where it discussed ways of implementing sustainable waste management strategies, in view of the latest developments.

Addressing the stakeholders, managing director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin reiterated the Authority’s commitment to the Lagos State Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda, stressing that the state government had to ban Styrofoam to protect the environment and safeguard public health.

Gbadegesin, said the Authority would continue to place premium on establishing a cleaner and healthier environment, promising to continue to identify and address environmental challenges across the state, and to work tirelessly, to make Lagos a cleaner, more sustainable city.

On the overall, the government’s holistic approach signals a responsible, coordinated and proactive leadership in the state, helping to assure of conducive environment for all and sundry and preventing environmental disasters caused by poor hygiene and related habits.

No serious government should allow actions that can jeopardise citizens health and safety, and the state government has shown through its continued actions, that it could walk the talk and would not hesitate to take decisive measures to protect the environment and safeguard lives and properties of over 22 million residents.

The post Lagos, LAWMA and The Battle Against Filth appeared first on Sunrise News.

“Today, we produce about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year and approximately 36 percent of all plastic waste produced are used in packaging including single -use plastic products for food and beverage containers.” (UNEP) It’s no longer news that Lagos State Government through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has banned the use of Styrofoam and some selected single use plastic especial in food preservation and serving. The widespread use of single-use plastics especially Styrofoam has become a pressing global concern due to its detrimental impact on the environment and human health.

Styrofoam is used for food packaging, disposable cutler, plastic bags and beverage containers, these items contribute to pollution, marine debris, and the depletion of natural resources. Styrofoam, a derivative of polystyrene is one of those materials that’s is everywhere around us. Polystyrene is an inexpensive and hard plastic and probably the only polyethylene which is more common in our everyday life. Polystyrene, do not degrade easily, much of the disposable packaging that we eat from today are made with Styrofoam which will be around in 500 years. Apart from their inability to degrade, no known recycling procedure has been identified as a method for reducing its impact on the environment.

Asides from Styrofoam, we have all encountered other single-use plastic in our daily lives – think…. plastic bags, straws, biscuit trays, shampoo bottles and ice cream containers, unfortunately these convenient items are designed for one-time use and then thrown away, leading to a staggering amount of waste generated annually. Sadly, the convenience of single-use plastics comes at a high environmental cost. The single-use plastics pose serious environmental stress in many reasons. Only about 14% of plastic packaging is collected for recycling globally. Up to 75 – 199 million tons of plastic enters our oceans each year. Plastic makes up 80% of marine debris. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch floating in the Pacific Ocean contains over 87,000 tonnes of plastic debris. The detrimental impact on ecosystems and the planet is becoming increasingly evident and call for sustainable alternative are growing louder.

Globally, the widespread use and improper disposal of single-use plastic has many adverse environmental impacts. These include:

• Pollution of our water ways and oceans: plastic debris are found in canals, waterways, ocean surface, seabed and coastlines worldwide. It is estimated that 1,000 rivers are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions into the ocean.
• Harm to wildlife and marine ecosystem: over 260 species, including invertebrate, turtles, fish, seabirds and mammals have been impacted after ingesting or becoming entangled in plastics. Toxins in plastic accumulate up the food chain and impact large predators like tuna and sword fish.
• Plastic waste is a major component of terrestrial litter. It impacts landscapes, roadways and public areas.
• Plastics exacerbate climate change: 99% of plastics are derived from fossil fuels. Plastic production and transportation use 6% of global oil consumption. Plastic decomposes slowly, releasing methane and other potent greenhouse gases.
• Production of plastic contribute to natural resources depletion: the production cycle of single-plastics depends on extracting finite resources like petroleum, natural gas and other fossil fuels. Recovering and recycling plastics and recycling plastic requires expenditures of water, energy and other resources.
• Single-use plastic can also negatively affect human health: microplastics (plastics particles under 5mm) have been detected in many human organs and tissues. Humans ingest thousands of microplastic particles through food, water, and air pollution every year. Microplastics found in placentas of pregnant women can cross into fetal circulations. Phthalates added to some plastics are linked to allergies, asthma, and breast cancer risk.

These mounting concerns over single-use plastics has sparked a global movement towards finding sustainable alternatives. People are becoming more aware of the environmental and health consequences and are actively seeking solutions to reduce plastic use and waste. The urgency for change cannot be overstated. The moves by Lagos State Government through Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources are for the good of all. It’s essential for the preservation of our planet and future generations. Hence, what are the alternatives to single –use plastics. Biodegradable materials are a promising alternative to traditional plastics. These materials are designed to break down naturally over time, reducing the environmental impact. From packaging made from plant starch to cutlery made from cellulose, there are a wide variety of biodegradable options available. Also, compostable alternatives take sustainability a step further. These materials not only break down but also enrich the soil when composted. Compostable plastics made from renewable resources like cornstarch or sugarcane offer a viable solution for reducing waste and closing the loop on our consumption habits.

The Call to Action.

• The consumer should carry reusable bags, containers, bottles and utensils when shopping or eating out, choose products with minimal, recyclable or compostable packaging, refuse unnecessary plastic straw, cutlery, bags or packaging when possible and get involved in campaigns against problem of plastic products.
• The Business community should see the ban as a call for protection of the earth. The ban will encourage the use of alternatives materials like paper straws, compostable items etc. Businesses can also offer discount for customers who brings reusable cups and bags as incentives. This will also promote redesigning operations and supply chains to minimize plastic usage, implements take-back programs for plastic waste recycling.
• Government should set plastic reduction and recycling targets for business, makes companies responsible for plastic waste through” Extended Producer Responsibility”, set standards for plastic free events, activities, packaging and compostable alternatives, give incentives for plastic recycling.

In conclusion, sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics are essential in combating the environmental crisis we face. Biodegradable and compostable materials, along with the rise of plant-based plastics, offer promising solutions. By making conscious choices and embracing these alternatives, we can play our part in creating a cleaner and re sustainable future.

Ultimately, it is the collective effort of individuals, businesses, and policymakers that will make a lasting impact on our planet. Together, let’s choose sustainable alternatives and pave the way for a cleaner, greener and more environmentally conscious world.

‘A GREATER LAGOS RISING’

• Lasisi Adedoyin K.S an environment safety expert, coordinator Eko EnviroTalk TV

The post SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS appeared first on Sunrise News.

Even though it was said in Zechariah 4:6 that; “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. It is also required that we depend heavily on our inner being if we ever want to make anything meaningful out of our lives. As it was clearly stated in Job 32:8 that; “there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.”

Before mankind was given the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-4 it was said that; “when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. God gave Man a breath of Life, as it was written in Genesis 2:7; “and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

The spirit in man is the breath of the God Almighty that was breathed into Man’s nostrils in Genesis and part of the duty of the breath is to give Man, I mean human beings understanding.

Where understanding is lacking, failure prevails. No Man born of a Woman can succeed in this life without understanding. Understanding is the glue that firmly joins together the divine and the reality. But understanding will not come unless the knowledge of the subject is well understood. As it was said in Hosea 4:6; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” “Because you have rejected knowledge,” God went on to say; “I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

Without having proper knowledge of who you are, there is no way you can understand what is happening to you in life and this has nothing to do with your faith or religion. It is Man who needs faith and religion to determine the doings of the Lord. God supersedes religion and He does not need one to manifest Himself here on earth.

Rather, He needed a Man regardless of his faith or religion; whose heart is right with God, as it was said in 2 Chronicles 16:9; “for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

To understand how important 2 Chronicles 16:9; God said in Ezekiel 22:30; “so I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”

Why did God find no one? God couldn’t find anyone because the heart of Man is Evil and Wicked and this God made clear in Jeremiah 17:9 which says; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

To be found by God, a person must be of clean hands and a pure heart as it was said in Psalms 24:3-5 that; “who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Seeking God is a waste of your time because you don’t know where God is and if you think God is in whatever religion you believe in, you deceived yourself. Only God can find you and fetch you out wherever you are and it doesn’t matter who you are, what you have, what people think or say of you, your level of education, family background or what have you.

In Psalms 89:20-25, God said; “I have found My servant David;” please pay attention. It was God who found David, not David who found God. “I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him,” when God finds you, He anoints you for a purpose. The reason why His looking for you is because He needed you to do something for Him. And in whatever He wants you to do for Him is what your establishment in life lies. As God Himself further said; “with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him.

Tell me, how can you fail when God is the one strengthening your arm as King David testified in Psalms 18:32-45 saying; “it is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip. I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them so that they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies so that I destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was none to save; even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets. You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; the foreigners submit to me. The foreigners fade away, and come frightened from their hideouts.”

No one can stand before you when God is the one strengthening your arm. And God made this a covenant with King David in Psalms 89 as well as with everyone He found saying: “The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name, his horn shall be exalted. Also, I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers.

The same applies to you if and when God finds you. The enemy will not outwit you, the son of wickedness will not afflict you. God will beat down your foes before your face, and plague those who hate you. His faithfulness and mercy shall be with you, and in His name, your horn will be exalted. He will set your hand over the sea, and your right hand over the rivers; if and when you are found by God.

None of these will ever be yours if you are ignorant of who you are. Self-awareness is key to finding purpose in life. A person who does not know what he or she is capable of doing will always live life below his or her capacity. Exploits in life begin by knowing who you are and what you are capable of doing.

When Apostle Paul said to the Philippian church in Philippians 4:13 that; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He was talking spiritually as many of us are doing today, he was speaking facts. He was talking as a Man who knew who he was and what capacity God had given him and in 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 he made that clearer when he said; “we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”

The day you realize that you can do more than just one thing to make a mark in life will be the beginning of your greatness in life.

The day we realize that the capacity we carry within us is bigger than the defeats going on in our heads will be the beginning of our freedom.
Everyone on the Earth is built with the capacity for greatness but religion has been the main cause of limitations over us all with the Masterminded religious leaders developing systems of controlling and manipulating their victims to stay put to their dictates and falsehood.
The system of the world is the system of the dead controlling the living. If you find that hard to believe ask yourself where is the founder of your religion; dead I believe. Or in case you don’t believe in any religion, bring out the money in your pocket, look at the picture of the person in the money you are holding, and ask yourself, where is the person? I believe the person is right there in the grave, dead.
The world religions and economy are being controlled by the dead. Individuals with some questionable traits and inhumane characters. Well, don’t blame the dead controlling the living, blame the living that failed to live up to their potential and capacity.

This made me remember the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:29 saying; “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”

Even though this sounds self, it’s the laws of life, business, and great success. The poor always make the rich richer. Bill Gates is not making his money from wealthy individuals like him, he makes his money and wealth from the lower and middle-class citizens of the world. The same applies to all the wealthy in the world. If we should have a little twist to this, I could boldly say that all the wealthy individuals in the world are individuals who had been dead to self and live for humanity and services just as Jesus Christ said in John 12:24 that; “u a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain”. Until you die to self (living life intentionally in service to humanity), you remain a slave to the dead (the world system of worshipping and serving God and the financial system).

If there’s anything that got me worried more in this life, is how the living dedicated their lives, energy, resources, and everything they got to worship and serve the dead thinking they’re serving God.
Yeah, you heard me; serving the dead.
All religions in the world and I don’t care what name you call it, worship and serve the dead even when they claim to be serving God, the creator of the heavens and the earth.

In Luke 4:8 Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

How many people can boldly say that the only being they worship and serve is God and God alone?

I’m not judging anyone and I’ll never do such. But over the years, I’d discovered that the majority of us who are claiming to serve worship and serve God are worshipping our religious leaders and serving our choice of faith (religion) and that is the reason why it is easier for us to believe our religious leaders when they go out of their ways to condemn other people’s choice of religion and makes their look superior and we think they are right, no they are not. They only using you.

Apostle John said in 1 John 4:8 that; “he who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

You cannot place your love for your religion above your love for your fellow Human being and still claim to love God. My dear, you don’t. The moment you place anything above love towards your fellow Human being, you’re nothing but a killer and the love of God is never in you.

This, Apostle John made clear in 1 John 4:20-21 saying; “if someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

My question to you is, do you love that fellow sitting or standing beside you even when you are not of the same faith, tribe, or nationality? Do you?

You cannot claim to be serving God and be filled with hatred towards others. My dear, you’re not serving God, you’re only serving your religious demons that kept asking you to hate anyone that is not of the same religious ideology as you, and this Apostle John clearly stated in 1 John 4:16 saying; “we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

I don’t care what religion you belong to.
I don’t care how anointed you think you are.
I don’t care how much of God you claimed to know.
I don’t care how anointed you claimed to be.
If you fail to love and be sincere with it, you’re nothing but a Devil in the flesh.

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Apostle Paul said; “though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”

You’re a dead person if you fail to love. Your conscience is dead. And a dead conscience is a dead soul and a dead life. No wonder you are worshipping and serving the religion of dead beings. No wonder other people’s lives, feelings and destiny means nothing to you.

Your entire life is been controlled by the dead and it takes the dead to know the ways of the dead, and this is the reason why you see that some of our religious leaders are dead conscience. They have no human feelings. Their interest and attention are only on what they want to get from us.

I love the way Ecclesiastes 9:1-6 described them saying; “For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that, they go to the dead. But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun.

The dead conscience nature of the world leaders made them turn humanity against each other just to take control of their lives and use them for selfish reasons. God is never the founder of any religion in the world, humanity is, not God.

Religion I’ve come to realize is the creation of Man to keep Man under subjection and deception of what divinity is not; drawing individuals that fall for the trap to be drawn away from God with the fear of God killing them or punishing them on the slight of mire mistakes which they usually tagged sin. Creating the image of the unreachable God and themselves as the only access to which any human being can reach God; having the personality of a thin god with the power to determine the life and the affairs of their subject. Religion is nothing but a platform to clutter the destiny of mankind and render their lives useless to themselves. Only the wise and the prudent in search of the truth and true knowledge break away from religion and build a relationship with God.

Sometimes, I saw the image of a father who happened to be a Muslim Cleric and his son a Catholic Priest; in the person of Rev. Fr. Moses Ibn Idris, based in Jalingo, Taraba State flying all over the Blue App.

Is this the first time I’ve seen a thing like this? Not at all.

A distant relative of mine, who was born a Muslim, went to Arabic School and Graduated as one of the best students in Arabic decided to become a Priest in the Catholic Church and he rose gradually until he became the Personal Assistant to the Head of the Catholic Church in Ogun State and later went to Rome to further his Priestly education.

I wrote an article some years back where I pointed out that all religion in the world was created by Man to reach God, God never created or established any religion to reach Him; and the first religion in the world was idolatry, worshiping Idols.

If you are a good student of the Bible, you will discover that everything about the Ark of God, the Tent meeting, the Outer Court, the Inner Court, the Holy of Holies, the different acts and practices of the remission of sins or appeasing God in the Old Testament of the Bible are all practice of Idol Worship. This is one fact both Christianity and Islam will ever open your eyes understanding to.

Now, before you display your knowledge of ignorance, please go back to your Bible and study it well, with references, study materials, and an open mind.

Now, when God called Abram out from His Idol worship family in Genesis Twelve, God never told him to stop worshipping Idols, Abram decided to do so and he decided to do something different from the Idol Worship ways and methods of reaching God, so, Five Times a day, he goes to the field to meditate and seek the mind of God.

Isaac and Jacob married from the same Idol Worship family Abraham came out of and Joseph the son of Jacob and the very person God used to prepare a place of refuge for the children of Israel in Egypt during the firming was practical of Idol Worship and act he learned from his mother who stole the family Idol from Laban her father when Jacob was leaving Laban’s house.

This act of Abraham meditating and seeking the mind of God Five Times a day later metamorphosed into what was then known as Abrahamic Religion. The Abrahamic Religion continued until the time of Moses when it was changed into Judaism after Aaron was made a Priest. This continued even to the days of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ Himself practiced the same religion in His days, He never stood against it or condemned it. He only condemned the ways and manners the Pharisees were exploiting the people and making God look bad in the eyes of all, the same that so many religions in the world today are still doing.

After the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His disciples decided to do something different from what the people who were practicing Abrahamic Religion and Judaism were doing. So, they came up with Church in the House system; holding meetings in each other’s houses and breaking bread from house to house. Joining faith together to pray, fast, and stand by each other in times of crisis. Something that is no longer in some churches anymore.

Tithes and offerings were not being collected in those days. There were no Pastors, Bishops, or one person building a hall to house millions of people and task them with compulsory tithes and offerings, prophet offerings, special offerings, and many other offerings. That we have in the church today; and when you don’t have to give, they make you feel as if you’d sinned. Some will even tell you never to come to the church if you don’t have offerings to give. The people in those days gave what they had to support one another and everyone had enough to live by; and the Bible confirmed it saying, “They all have all things in common”.

This new system of serving God attracted so many people to join them and before you knew what was going on, the church was growing in millions, the Abrahamic Religion totally faded and relegated to the background, and Judaism was solely for a selected few that refused to let go of their religious background.

The act of Idol Worship was still in existence. The practice of serving God in the Old Testament gave more power to Idol Worship as they later inculcated some of the acts of worship in the Old Testament into the practice of idolatry.

For years, idolatry and Christianity were the two major religions that dominated the world until greed stepped into the church and things began to fall apart; then some members began to seek relevant knowledge, truths, and facts and some people began to establish what we knew today as independent ministries.

It was In this era, that the young Muhammed, who was of the Idol Worship background like Abram decided to seek out relevant knowledge and information about God as well, and in the course of that, he stumbled on Abrahamic Religion. Studied the religion very well, and then resurrected the Abrahamic Religion from the dead and gave it a different name “Islam”.

The religion began to spread like widefire, and of course, the church was against the religion because the religion had no leader with a title. Young Muhammed then made himself equal with his followers, then, when the followers noticed that they were being addressed as a religion with a leader, the followers started calling the young Muhammed “Prophet Muhammed”, just like Prophet Moses, Prophet Samuel, and every other known and unknown prophet both in the Bible and in the Quran. Prophet Muhammed himself never called himself a Prophet.

In peace and harmony the three religions, Idolatry, Christianity and Islam were operating without any issues until the spirit of superiority, competition, and greed entered the hearts and minds of some church leaders and Islamic leaders and they began to cause division, sentiments, and hatred in the heart and mind of their followers toward anyone that is not part of their religion; this is the very reasons why the world is In a big mess today.

Of these three major religions, only the Idolatry is not in any form of competition with either of the other two.

Do you know the reason why?

Most members and leaders of the popular and well-accepted religions patronize the Idol Worshipers behind the scenes and they are the only religion on the Earth today that doesn’t meet on a daily or weekly basis, or ask anyone for anything. Their religion is a service to humanity. It is pay as your situation and circumstances demand.

Friends, I’m not against any religion and I will never be. But be sure that religion is never a path to God or a safe heaven for eternity. When you live to enjoy your choice of religion, leave others alone to enjoy theirs. We are all seeking ways to reach God; and our paths in life, just as our destiny in life are not and can never be the same.

Whatever makes you hate people has already made you hate God. God is love and the only way to worship and serve God is to love your fellow Human beings, not religion.

I love you and I’ll always love you.

Sam Adeoye

The post The Dead appeared first on Sunrise News.

The Lagos State House of Assembly does not only just pride itself to be above the common standards of excellence. No. If that was the case, it would just have been the adoption of a political nomenclature for exigencies. Instead, the Assembly has stood firm practising what makes it thick and engaging in activities that continue to sustain its enviable place in Nigeria.

A House of 40 members, the Assembly is an evidence or ‘receipt’ like the young social media-minded Nigerians would put it, that Lagos is, indeed, fortunate to attain the height that is taking others a ‘thousand years’ to reach. The first three plenaries of the Assembly are the needed ‘receipts’. The very first plenary was interesting. It was a day set of 20 fresh lawmakers had the opportunities to test their debating capacities. Any stranger within the chamber that day would not be able to tell who was a first-term lawmaker or who was a ranking member. The new lawmakers proved their mettles.

If that first sitting was beautiful, then the second plenary was more dramatic. The new lawmakers presented their cases expressing their reservations over the list of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s nominees. Interestingly, it was a first-term lawmaker who set the ball rolling by calling attention to the fact that his part of Lagos was not properly represented in the list. Then, many of his colleagues followed suit.

These first few sittings by the lawmakers have proven that point, or maybe, the argument that the Lagos Assembly does not lack competent representatives that have helped driven government’s policies, strengthened democracy and adequately stood for the people whose mandates brought them to the House.

It is, however, noteworthy that competence is mostly built. And legislative competence, a cluster of activities put together to add to or multiply knowledge, skills, and abilities possessed by legislators to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities, has been the watchword. It was the American writer Daniel Pink who said: “Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined and connected to one another. And, when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.” With this, knowing the secret of how the Lagos Assembly has gone this far is not farfetched.

Since 2015 when he emerged Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has made the training and retraining of lawmakers and staff a focal point of his administration. With the 10th Assembly which began in June, 2023, Dr. Obasa will become the longest serving Speaker of a legislative arm in Nigeria and arguably one with the most focus human capital development, which has seen the Lagos Assembly constantly coming out with laws which have met international standards and have become yardsticks for which progress is measured.

Today, it is known that Obasa’s period already has the highest number of private member bills in the history of Lagos with the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, a precursor to Amotekun corps, being one of the most celebrated so far. There are the Anti-kidnapping law, the law which makes the teaching of Yoruba language compulsory in schools, and that establishing the Institute of Democratic and Legislative Studies.

In the buildup to the 10th Assembly, the House, as usual, subjected the lawmakers-elect and staff to varied, yet rigorous trainings, seminars and workshops where the incoming legislators had the opportunity to understand the practical workings of the House as well as have a grasp of their proposed tasks. And it worked with evidence from the first set of plenaries so far.

There is this soothing feeling knowing that these lawmakers of the 10th Assembly remain confident of their capacities and are poised to end the next four years with bills, resolutions and laws for the benefits of Lagos, its residents and the nation. We are optimistic.

Afeez Adenekan wrote this piece from Lagos.

The post Lagos Assembly Where Legislative Competence Meets National Development appeared first on Sunrise News.

Forgetting that the proceeding was being captured on live camera, the senate president spoke confidently.

“As soon as Senator Umahi takes his oath of office, we shall rearrange the office of the leadership.”

“In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly,” he said.

Realising what was at stake, a senator rushed to him to make him realise that he was on air.

In his response, Akpabio said, “I withdraw that statement. In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

It’s not clear the amount that was sent to the lawmakers as their salaries and allowances are shrouded in secrecy.

However, the development comes amid the nationwide hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, which led to the price of fuel hitting N617 per litre from N197 per litre when the Tinubu government came in.

Nigerians are currently reacting to the video, lamenting how the leaders asked the masses to make sacrifices while they carry on with extravagance.

When President Bola Tinubu forwarded a bill to amend the 2022 Supplementary Act to the National Assembly, N70 billion was approved to “support the working conditions” of new lawmakers, while N19 billion was approved for farmers who suffered the devastating effect of the 2022 floods across the country.

The “enjoyment allowance” saga is one of the controversies that have rocked Akpabio’s senate presidency, which is just about a month old.

In July, there was outrage after Akpabio was captured on live TV joking about “Let The Poor Breathe”, a phrase that became popular after an interview granted by President Bola Tinubu.

Although the media office of the senate president made certain clarifications on the incident, Nigerians have continued to express their anger over what they called the fraudian slip

The post Caught Offguard: Akpabio exposes senators’ ‘holiday allowance’ appeared first on Sunrise News.

Globally, poverty and food insecurity remain a huge challenge. Poverty, they say, nurtures hunger, illiteracy and diseases.

According to a 2022 World Bank report, 648 million, representing about 8 per cent of the global population live in extreme poverty, which translates to 2.15 dollars daily.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) brings the reality further home by declaring in a 2022 report that 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor.

The report, which is a product of the Bureau’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Survey, said the study measured poverty from different perspectives including health, education, and money.

A study by Vanessa Wright and a team of scholars citing a 2021 report by the Department of Agriculture established a link between poverty and food insecurity in the United States, which, most likely is replicated around the world, including Nigeria.

The study was entitled: “Understanding the Link between Poverty and Food Insecurity among Children: Does the Definition of Poverty Matter?”

They declared that “32.1 per cent of households with incomes below the official poverty line face food insecurity, compared to 14 per cent of households with incomes above the official poverty line.

“Factors that put people at risk of low income (e.g. unemployment) were associated with a higher probability of food insecurity. Collectively, these findings draw a clear association between lower income and food insecurity”.

In the light of this, Oxfam Nigeria, with support from the European Union has tailored some of its intervention programmes in Nigeria towards tackling poverty and addressing food insecurity.

One of the projects is the European Union (EU) and OXFAM Strengthening Active Citizenship and Improve Service Delivery (OSAID) Project in Adamawa and Kebbi states which projected to spend N434m in mitigating food insecurity.

According to Dr Vincent Ahonsi, Country Director, Oxfam in Nigeria, it is a market improvement programme that is agriculture driven with some focus on gender mainstreaming in agriculture.

“What we try to do is to reach the poorest of the poor to see how we can improve their lives and livelihood and we know that most people in the rural areas of Adamawa and Kebbi states are farmers.

“So what we did was to provide them with the enablement, the farm inputs, we know that in Nigeria, women generally don’t have access, access to resources, access to finances, access to land and access to farm inputs.

“Oxfam came in and provided all these to facilitate wealth creation, so they will be able to produce more from their farms, they will have the markets to take them to and they will have people who are waiting for them to buy their produce off them,” he said.

Women play a major role in poverty alleviation and food security. In many instances, such as crisis situations, many women become breadwinners as they bear the burden of farming and fending for the children who fathers are crisis victims.

The project, therefore seeks to explore the potential in women as home builders and small scale farmers.

“So we organise village savings and loans association and through this, the women meet regularly and put money together through contribution and they can borrow from it for investments.

“You find out suddenly that a woman who has been alone in the community now has a group to lean on; with friends she finds her voice and she is now valued.

“We also ensured that we educate these women on the reason why they need to participate in elections and vote for the people they think is the best people to serve their interests,” he said.

Mr Enoch Bamaiyi, OSAID Project Coordinator, said that 80,000 households were reached in Kebbi and Adamawa states and 70 percent of them are women.

Bamaiyi said a lot of them have accessed finance while those without any means of livelihood have been able to access finance through the village savings and loan association programme.

To effectively use the money he said Oxfam also taught them technical skills on business management, business development, as well as facilitating linkages to market, promotional enterprise development agencies, both of government and also private sector players.

“They got grants, gifts, in terms of both assets like grinding machine milling machines, like animals to boost their asset base at home,” he said.

Dr Mary Paninga, the Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Planning Commission, said that Oxfam did well in Adamawa in the fight against poverty programme.

“Today, because of the impact of OSAID and Oxfam, the community has come together, they produce community development plans, which the State Planning Commission incorporates into the budget of the state.

“This is so as to carry all citizens along; I want to tell everyone that what Oxfam and OSAID has done exceptionally well especially in the technical support components of the citizens monitoring programme that is ICTs”, she said.

Mr Basiru Kalgo, a representative the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Kebbi, commended Oxfam and its partners for the project.

“I want to appreciate the contributions of European Union, specifically Oxfam and its partners for the successful implementation of almost six years programme in Kebbi state.

“We have really learnt a lot of lessons, the citizens and government are trying everything possible to ensure that we maintain the good culture within the programmes.

“We have been greatly impacted and we will try to put all the necessary mechanism in maintaining it,” he said

A beneficiary Ms Zinge Ezekiel, from Adamawa, thanked Oxfam for programme adding that “I thank God I am benefitting from this”.

Ezekeil said that Community Development Plan (CDP) was introduced to include women and the less privileged including Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

Another Beneficiary, Kabiru Danjuma, from Kebbi, said the presence of Oxfam in the state has reduced its poverty rate.

“Before then, we use to travel for over 250 kilometres to access banks but Oxfam helped us through the agency banking and I became one of the agents.

“I open accounts for villagers, enroll them for BVN and so far I have opened on the spot account for over 350 people and it made deposits, transfers and withdrawals very easy,” he said.

Danjuma said now, farmers have easy access to resources such as fertilisers and soft loans. (NANFeatures)

The post Addressing poverty and food insecurity in Adamawa, Kebbi through Oxfam appeared first on Sunrise News.

Chairman of the Occasion

The President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP

Members of the GOCOP

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.       Let me discharge my first obligation by thanking the leadership as well as membership of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) for the invitation to speak on the auspicious occasion of your 6th Annual Conference. Many of you here may recall that on 24th November 2021, we had a robust interactive meeting here in Lagos last year in response to your invitation to address you following the successful election of a new leadership of GOCOP chaired by Ms. Maureen Chigbo. As I said on that occasion, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cherishes the support of the online media. We do not take our partnership with GOCOP for granted as a stakeholder and dependable ally in sustaining and deepening our democracy.

2.       For this reason, I must commend GOCOP for choosing “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome” as the theme for this year’s conference. This is most appropriate for a number of reasons. First, the 2023 General Election is fast approaching. It is now 141 days to Election Day. Polling Units will open at 8.30am on Saturday 25th February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and same time on Saturday 11th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and State Assembly). Secondly, campaign in public by political parties officially commenced eight days ago on Wednesday 28th September 2022. Therefore, the tempo of political activities has increased as parties, candidates and their supporters commence campaigns, rallies, processions and media advertisement to canvass the support of the electorate. Thirdly, the Commission has published the final list of 15,322 candidates for the General Election contesting for 1,491 seats (one Presidential, 28 Governorship, 109 Senatorial, 360 House of Representatives and 993 State Assembly constituencies).

3.       I wish to restate once again the commitment of INEC to credible elections. Votes will continue to count and will be the sole determinant of electoral outcome. For this reason, the Commission has introduced many new innovations, supported by the deployment of appropriate technology, to protect the sanctity of the choice made by Nigerians at the polls ranging from voter registration to voter accreditation and result management. The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with its dual fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation process has ensured that only genuine voters are accredited to vote during election. This has curtailed the incidence of multiple voting and other sharp practices associated with voter accreditation during elections. The BVAS has come to stay and will be the only means by which voters will be accredited in the 2023 General Election.

4.       Furthermore, the introduction of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal has made the result management procedure more transparent. Polling Unit results are now uploaded in real-time to the IReV portal for public view. This has enhanced the transparency, credibility and consequently public confidence in the outcome of elections. The IReV has come to stay and polling unit results will be uploaded to the portal in real-time in the 2023 General Election.

5.       As campaigns commence, I also wish to remind political parties and candidates that only last week, you all signed the Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in which you committed yourselves to peaceful electioneering campaign. I urge you to be guided by the letter and spirit of the Accord.

6.       For our part, the Commission will pay particular attention to the conduct of parties, candidates and their supporters. As a regulator, the Commission will play its role to ensure compliance with the provision of the law as well as our guidelines and regulations. We will pay particular attention to peaceful campaign devoid of abusive, intemperate and slanderous language as well as the use of innuendoes or insinuations likely to provoke a counter-reaction resulting in the breach of the peace. Similarly, we will pay special attention to the observance of limits on party and candidate finance. I urge political parties and candidates to carefully study the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and familiarise themselves with their obligations as well as the penalties under the law.

7.       As you are aware, election is a multi-stakeholder activity. As the Commission is doing its best to ensure a credible process, we also appeal to the media for continuous partnership. Managing the electoral process for credible outcome is the responsibility of all of us. As campaign activities get underway, the media will continue to play an important role. A lot of the activities will take place in the media of which the new media is a critical player. We must continue to work together against the spread of fake new, misinformation and disinformation that seek to create or exacerbate tension or de-legitimise processes and outcomes.

8.       GOCOP must lead a network or alliance of stakeholders to curb fake news engineered by unpatriotic individuals. Fake news is a threat to national security and all hands must be on deck to check it. Managing this process requires in part, concerted efforts. We have noticed that your members have so far steered clear of fake news. We urge you to do more. GOCOP should come out strongly in the battle against fake news which is clearly a challenge to the electoral process going forward. We are happy to note that you have your peer review mechanism using your leaders to regularly remind every member of the need for credible journalism. This is highly commendable. We urge you extend this beyond GOCOP to serve as a bulwark against the menace of fake news.

9.       I wish to assure you that for us at INEC, the national interest comes first. We shall not pander to any partisan whims and caprices. We pledge to discharge our duties with the highest sense of responsibility and integrity.

10.     Once again, I wish to commend GOCOP for organising this relevant and timely conference. I urge you to continue to work in partnership with the Commission in our shared determination to ensure credible elections in 2023.

11.     I thank you and God bless.

The post Read All What INEC Chairman Pledges To Do To Make 2023 Election Transparent appeared first on Sunrise News.

Who is deceiving President Muhammadu Buhari over the happenings in the Basketball Federation? Why would there be an interim management committee over a created scenario and where there was no really an issue? Who are those behind the scene attempting to roll back the achievements so far made in the basketball Federation?

It is high time President Muhammadu Buhari awakes to reality especially now that the sport ministry is trying to roll back achievements of the basketball Federation with a kangaroo committee set up to undermine the successes made in the federation. It is high time to look into the activities of the sport ministry and few individuals in government maligning the federation through their negative perception and corruption.

Many of them could not hide their feelings for not getting the kickback bags under the Ahmadu Musa Kida’s led board. Many of them could not hide their worries over the next four years if they should allow Kida and his board to continue despite a clear and right return through a credible election. Many of them are thinking of retiring with some full package from the federation but Kida is a clog against corruption.

Perhaps, the two year ban on International competition could therefore be a window of opportunity to get what they could not before all of them go on retirement soon. This is where I would have loved the EFCC and the ICPC to glue its third eyes to see how the administrative bottlenecks unrolled itself in justifying outings on doctored documentations.

The matter is on and when reading the story of how Jacob deceived Israel to steal the mandate of Esau made me thinking about how the sport ministry team up with Tijjani Umar trying to steal the mandate given to Ahmadu Musa Kida to lead the Nigeria Basketball Federation as its President for the second term.

If President Muhammadu Buhari was the Biblical Issac, I would say that in this scenario the sports ministry and indeed Tijjani Umar are playing the role of Biblical Rebecca on deception. Perhaps President Muhammadu Buhari could have fallen for it.

However, in the case of the Basketball Federation, I believe there are hundreds of things to look into except the President is perhaps not interested in the sport which brought glory to Nigeria in the last four years when Ahmadu Musa Kida led the federation from cradle to greatness.

I read through a statement from the Ministry of sport, which was signed by Mohammed Manga, the Director of Press and Press Relations, which stated: “Following the recent directives of President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of basketball in the country and its withdrawal from all International basketball competitions for the next two years, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has announced the members of the Interim Management Committee(IMC) to oversee the development of the sport in Nigeria.”

The membership of the management committee are: Dr. Henry Nzekwu , Mr. Udon Ubon Humapwa, Mr. Frank Jitubhoh ,  Zenith Bank – Representative, Prof. Adamu Ahmed , Mr. Peter Nelson , Group Captain Rahinatu Garba, Aderemi Adewunmi , Oluchi Nzekwe and Sani Adio ( SAN).

Personally I still believe that going by achievements made by the Ahmadu Musa Kida’s led federation, the President knowing the importance of achieving such feet especially in the game of Basketball cannot go into given directives and subsequent approve of the Ministry of sport to announce an interim management without stepping into the issues, which requires urgent resolve looking at what Nigeria tend to lose if the situation continue to degenerate under his watch.

Those who know the inside story knew that an election was held with full attendance of delegates as directed in Benin. If the Minister of sport who gave a directive that the Secretary General be invited to the Benin election could come out to say that a parallel election was held, one which has no Congress approval then there is much to this than the election.

According to the statement, the Committee is to draw up programmes that will revamp basketball from the grassroots in Nigeria, revive its moribund domestic leagues and attract corporate sponsors for the development of the game. The question is which revamping is the ministry talking about when the Kida board had already put the basketball Federation on the International viewing?

The election that herald Ahmadu Musa Kida as President of NBBF in Benin was well organized in conjunction with the ministry and Congress sanctioning election at Benin with FIBA the international supporting body monitoring the election which was conducted live which Ahmadu Musa Kida emerged victorious having elected unopposed.

I believe that all stakeholders that have interest in the election were invited and the ministry gave the go ahead for the conduction of the election. Letters and correspondences are available where the ministry feels to deny these claims.

What shocked stakeholders is that some staff of the ministry of sport were against the resolution of the Congress and went and opened the stadium and conducted what they call a parallel election. This was a calculated attack to put a clog at the wheels of progress by Nigeria Basketball development.

That certain staff of the ministry of sports in conjunction with some sports administrators has positioned themselves to make basketball administration their birth right is not in the interest of the sport but for their personal gains.

I believe the silence by the NBBF President, Ahmadu Musa Kida on this issue is not unconnected with the shock and surprise of the decision taken and of the suspension of all international basketball competition by Nigeria.

This decision indeed is the greatest height of care abandoned and executive recklessness and undue regard to the efforts put in by the players to secure a spot, the resources deployed and the managerial effort that was put in place.

• James Bwala lives in Abuja

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