Tag: Nigeria

Self-acclaimed life coach, Solomon Buchi, has tackled a lady who kicked against Pastor Funke Adejumo’s teaching on how single ladies must behave when visiting their would-be parents-in-law for the first time.

 

Reacting to Adejumo’s teaching, an X user @faree_for_real, said; 

‘’If I’m going to visit your parents and they test me with these weird rules, just know I’m going to deliberately fail. I’m not willing to go through lengths to prove that I’m “prim and proper”. I’m not willing to be held on misogynistic standards. If the fact that their son loves me is not enough, I’m not interested.”

 

Solomon spotted her tweet and was irritated that she likened the teaching to Misogyny. He argued that all the clergywoman said was just basic life rules that people should follow. He went on to say he feels sorry for the men who will marry women with such mentality.

‘’Shut up! I am absolutely tired of how women plaster misogyny on everything. That video is basically talking about social decorum, comportment and etiquette in the culture of the Nigerian society be it Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba.

You need to be accepted by the family you are married into. It’s not something that will happen every time but it is better that you are.

If you are going to meet your in-laws for the first time, you need to comport yourself. What is misogyny? What is if they are going to test me with all these weird rules? What is that?! What is misogynistic about you having to not drag meat, spill oil everywhere, you having to be comported? What really is misogynistic about that? ‘’

He said the same rules apply to men as well as they have to comport themselves whenever they visit their in-laws for the first time.

 

Watch the video below…

 

 

The National Steel Council (NSC) in Abuja has informed Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, of an alleged over N1 billion fraud that it linked to its Executive Secretary, Ambassador Abdulqadir Musafari.

The council, in a March 15, 2024 letter, told the minister that Musafari had allegedly “failed, refused and/or neglected to avail the Council of any information concerning his activities on behalf of the council, if duly authorized.”

It advised that the Executive Secretary should be suspended from office pending the conclusion of the investigation of the allegations by a disciplinary committee.

The council’s recommendation followed a request by the committee that it set up on February 12, 2024, to investigate Musafari for, among others, financial impropriety and serious misconduct.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters show that the committee’s terms of reference included investigating “several wilful and deliberate actions calculated to sabotage the lawful activities of the National Steel Council in the fulfilment of its mandated duties and responsibilities to the Nigerian people under the National Steel Council Act.

“Wilful and deliberate misappropriation of public funds to profit and/or benefits self and with intent to deceive or defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and its citizens.

“A recurring pattern of executive recklessness (both civil and criminal) and blatant disregard for established laws and council procedures and/or directives

“Communicating formally, conducting formal meetings and/or making formal outreaches to third parties on behalf of the council without knowledge or approval, and without consequently reporting the outcome of such to the council.

“Engaging persons (either directly or on secondment) for employment and/or to serve (particularly in strictly confidential positions) to act on behalf of the council without notice to, approval by, and/or subsequent report for the purpose of ratification by the council, in contravention of paragraph 5(2) of the first schedule of the national steel council act.”

The disciplinary committee, headed by a retired judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo, submitted its preliminary report to the NSC Board on February 29, 2024.

Other members of the disciplinary committee are Prof. Sylvester Osuji, Hajiya Fatimah Hayatu, DIG David Folawiyo (Rtd) and Barr. Elvis Asoro (Secretary).

Specific allegations against Musafari that the committee investigated are: “The attempted illegal withdrawal of the sum of N726,477,654.21 from the Treasury of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) without the knowledge, consent or approval of the National Steel Council (NSC).

“Payment of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million) as bank charges” that the National Steel Council said it was unaware of and did not approve.

“Payment of N6,253,000.00 as Insurance dues/claims. The Council is unaware of, and did not approve, any such Insurance agreement(s) for which this payment may be considered a responsibility of the Council.

“Payment of N961,000.00 for Publicity of which the Council is unaware of and did not approve or authorize.

“Expense of N310,060,500 as purchases/acquisition without the knowledge, authority, and/or approval of the Council.

“Expense of N38,418,530.75 as Local Travel and Transport unknown to, unauthorized by, unapproved by, and hidden from the Council.

“Another expense of N4,709,848.05 for Local Travel and Transport unknown to. unauthorized by, and unapproved by, the Council.

“Expense of N1,000,000.00 (One Million) on telephone calls without the knowledge, authorization, and/or Council approval.

“Expense of N1,000,000.00 (One Million) on the printing of security documents that are unknown to, unauthorized by, and unapproved by, the Council.

“Expense of N20,125,000.00 budgeted for staff training on persons unknown to, unauthorized by, and unapproved by. the Council.

“Payment of N24,371,000. as Honorarium and Sitting Allowances which are either unapproved or unreported by the Council.

“Payment of N9 Million for purchase of photocopy machines unknown to, unauthorized by, and unapproved by, the Council.

“Payment of N512,000.00 from funds budgeted for the purpose of National Steel Council, for privately accrued electricity charges by Ambassador A. Musafari on a private and/or personal property, without the knowledge, authorization, and/or approval of Council.

“Payment of N4,435,113.75 for Office Stationery/Computer Consumables without the knowledge, authorization, and/or approval by the Council.

“Payment of N166,000.00 for the purported maintenance of personal/private motor vehicles that the Council is neither aware of nor owns. This payment is without the Council’s knowledge, authority, and/or approval.

“Payment of N120,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Thousand) for the maintenance of personal/private Office Furniture for which the Council is not aware of ownership. This payment is without the Council’s knowledge, authority, and/or approval.

“Payment of N99,000.00 purportedly for the maintenance of Office/Residential Quarters that do not belong to, are unknown to, and/or authorized by Council.

“Payment of N470,000 for maintenance of Office/IT Equipment which ownership is unknown to, and/or does not belong to, the Council. This payment was not known to, authorized by, and/or approved by, the Council.

“Payment of N476,000.00 (Four Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand) from public funds for maintenance of private and/or personal Plants/Generators. This payment was not known to, authorized by, and/or approved by, the Council.

“Payment of N107,000.00 for non-specific maintenance services that are not known to. authorized by, and/or approved by, the Council.

“Payment of N1,950,000 for cleaning and fumigation services for private and/or personal premises. This payment was hidden from, unauthorized by, and/or unapproved by, the Council.

“Payment of N4,995,287.50 for Motor Vehicle Fuel Costs for personal vehicles unknown to the Council. This payment was hidden from, unauthorized by. and/or unapproved by, the Council.”

The Council’s chairman, Murtala Aliyu, in a letter to the minister, described the suspension as necessary because Musafari had allegedly “failed, refused and/or neglected to avail the Council of any information concerning his activities on behalf of the council, if duly authorised.”

The letter noted that the Council could not investigate some of the allegations against the ES and advised that they should be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Aliyu said: “It is therefore necessary to forward the infractions which the disciplinary committee cannot investigate under the law beyond the documents presented, to the appropriate government agency e.g. the ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) or the Police to act.

“The infractions against the Executive Secretary are too weighty being criminal in nature and therefore tainted with the commission of crimes which are also in violation of the Federal Government Financial Regulations Rules. These allegations should be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency with investigative powers forthwith.”

He added, “With due respect and without prejudice to the powers of the Honourable Minister for Steel and the committee set up by him, we are of the opinion that these infractions have to be investigated as agreed by the Disciplinary Committee set up under the NSC Act.

“In view of these infractions which are to be investigated, there is the need to suspend the Executive Secretary as stipulated in the Act by the Appointing Authority, which must be informed of these infractions and the steps which the Council is taking in this matter.”

When SaharaReporters contacted Abdulkadir Musafari for a reaction, he declined to comment on the matter.

He simply told our reporter that “if you want to talk about the National Steel Council, please direct it to the Ministry of Steel Development”.

When asked what he meant, he said, “If you want to talk about steel council you should talk to the minister, please.”

 

Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp:

Amaechi Muonagor has died at the age of 61. 

The Nollywood actor reportedly died today, March 24, after suffering from kidney-related issues, diabetes, and stroke. 

In 2023, he suffered a stroke that led to partial paralysis of his left leg. 

He was undergoing weekly dialysis and also physiotherapy to treat the paralysis brought on by stroke (read here). 

His death comes just days after he cried out for financial assistance on social media to enable him pay for a kidney transplant. 

The actor appeared in scores of Nigerian movies. He was famous for his role  in Aki and Paw Paw, where he played the father of two mischief-making young boys. 

He is survived by his wife Hope Chikodi Muonagor and their children. 

His fans have gone on X to mourn him.

Some prominent Nigerians including former governors, legislators and other leaders of thought have called for the reconfiguration of the country’s governance system and structure to address the imbalance in the existing federalism.

This was part of the resolution reached at a dialogue organised by the Patriots, a group of prominent Nigerian leaders of thought led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General.

The Patriots General Secretary for National Constitutional Dialogue, 2024 In Lagos, Olawale Okunniyi, in a statement on Sunday, said the group hosted the national dialogue (Colloquium) to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the 2014 National Confab in honour of the late Prof. Ben Nwabueze SAN, the immediate past chairman of the Patriots. 

The focus of the dialogue was on a prosperous future for Nigeria through the prospects of a new democratic people’s constitution that will offer assured hope and prosperity to the diverse peoples and citizens of Nigeria in the face of the current socio-economic miseries, political instability and worsening insecurity in the country.

Participants at the well-attended national dialogue included elder statesmen, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former governors, serving and ex-Senators, former ministers, traditional rulers, constitutional lawyers, delegates to previous constitutional confabs of Nigeria, leaders of thought, scholars, other members of the Nigerian public and the organisers.

After a long and robust deliberation that followed the keynote address by Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN, and contributions from invited discussants and participants, the colloquium requested that some consensual conclusions and recommendations be submitted to the Presidency and the National Assembly for their expeditious consideration and appropriate action:

The conclusions are as follows: “The challenge of governance has become profound and should necessitate circumspection from political leadership in their decision-making process as overwhelming majority of Nigerians are genuinely yearning for an end to the prevailing challenging situation in the country.

“There is a need for a. Genuine commitment to ending the culture of political impunity which engenders corruption, promotes monetization of politics and undermines competence and commitment to patriotism.

“b.  Urgent holistic appraisal of the security situation in Nigeria to engender decisive and robust intervention in the pervasive insecurity ravaging the country.

“c. Reform of existing security infrastructure through the creation of state police and localisation of Police command structure to enhance inclusive participation in community and neighbourhood security across Nigeria.

“d.  Reconfiguration of the country’s governance system and structure to address the imbalance in the existing federalism in order to guarantee fiscal responsibility and accountability in governance as well as enhance accelerated development across Nigeria.

 

“e. Strengthening of existing democratic institutions to safeguard democracy, guarantee pro-people governance and make political actors accountable to the people.

“f. Deepening of democracy and governance at the grassroots to give a sense of belonging to the mass of Nigerian stakeholders.”

They resolved that the “prevailing 1999 Constitution and its brand of presidential system foster politics of alienation and increasing appetite for state capture amongst the ruling elite to the exclusion of a large section of Nigerian citizens; leading to disenchantment across the country, while also asserting that the constitution, by its flawed origin, lacks legitimacy, which it cannot acquire from any number of amendments. 

“The dialogue also affirmed that the Draft Constitution  of the 2014 National Conference and the 1963 Republican Constitution of Nigeria, by their representative and popular character, are generally acceptable national documents as platforms for popular deliberations and consensual recommendations towards birthing a new democratic people’s constitution for Nigeria through an elective Constituents Assembly or national referendum to be initiated by the federal government through relevant provisions of the extant laws of Nigeria 

“Finally, the dialogue resolved that, to move forward the renewed advocacy for the actualisation of a new democratic constitution for Nigeria, an inclusive Team be set up by The Patriots to embark on strategic and constructive engagements with the Nigerian peoples and citizens, the Presidency and National Assembly of Nigeria for their full buy-in and support towards achieving the dialogue agenda for the cohesion, stability, good governance and prosperity of Nigeria under a new democratic people’s constitution of Nigeria.”