Author: straightnewsng.com

The first Secretary to Akwa Ibom Government, Obong Asuquo Etukeyen, has left for the celestial abode. The 81-year-old Etukeyen who served as Secretary to the Military Government from 1987 to 1991 died on June 12, this year. The chief mourner and the son to the deceased, Udeme, who confirmed this to Straightnews in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said his remains would be interred on Friday, August 14 after a funeral service at Community Secondary School, Ikot Itina in Etinan. A biography obtained from Who is Who in Nigeria shows that the octogenarian, who is married to Theresa with four…

Following a renewed cult rivalry, two persons from Inen Ikot Eteye and Ikot Inyang villages in Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State were on Sunday killed and one was kidnapped. The killing is reported to have resulted from an alleged cult clash between members of Debam and Iceland confraternities. The attack, which occurred at 7 p.m. on Sunday claimed one Ubong Okon Udo Ibanga, a drinking joint owner who operated opposite the vill primary school in the area. An eyewitness, Nse Okon Udo who spoke with our correspondent on telephone said the second victim popularly known as Urua Idung…

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, has alleged that 60 per cent contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are awarded to National Assembly members. Akpabio made the comment as he was being grilled by members of the House of Representatives committee on NDDC in a public hearing. The Minister had been invited by the lawmakers on Friday to defend his actions as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and shed more light on financial misappropriation within the NDDC. Akpabio’s comment surfaced as he was responding to a question about NDDC expenditure amid a forensic…

The Chairman of the House of Representatives committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has stepped aside as head of the panel investigating alleged financial recklessness in the NDDC. A report monitored from Premium Times indicates that Tunji-Ojo stated this on Monday during the continued hearing in the National Assembly. The NDDC acting managing director, Daniel Pondei, had last Thursday staged a walkout on the committee. Mr Pondei, who appeared with other management staff of the commission, accused Mr Tunji-Ojo of corruption, saying his team would not speak before the committee. The lawmakers later passed a vote…

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has said his recent statements and sermons were meant for his children and not his critics. Adeboye said this during Sunday service while responding to backlash from feminists and some Nigerians of his birthday message to his wife, Folu. Recall that Adeboye was criticised days ago after he commended his wife for being submissive and advised women to learn from her and not to fail in their primary duties. Nigerians, especially feminists took offence at his comments and accused him of exerting masculinity and being oppressive.…

The season 5 of the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija 2020) reality show premiered Sunday with 20 housemates. Tagged:Lockdown, the fun-filled show will generate interest and anxiety from viewes while the housemates will devise every available chance to outdo one another to win the covted prize in the next 10 weeks. The overall winner of Season 5 BBNaija will get a cash prize worth N85 million, the highest so far since the inception of the show. In addition are a two-bedroom apartment and Champions League finale trip, one-year supply of Pepsi, branded chiller, a trip to Dublin, home appliances including TV,…

Two towering figures of the American civil rights movement died Friday, a major loss for a nation still grappling with protests and demands for racial equality decades later. John Robert Lewis after a battle with cancer. Rev. Cordy Tindell “C.T” Vivian died at 95 of natural causes. They died a day before the birthday of the late Nelson Mandela — another renowned champion of racial equality. Both men were the epitome of “good trouble” — Lewis’ favorite saying and approach to confronting injustices without violence. They worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the forefront of the historic…

The management of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) may postpone the date of 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Federal Government has stated. Ben Goong, director of information at the Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Friday July 17, saying that discussions would continue with four other countries to determine a new date for the examination. Goong, who stated that schools have been given till July 29, 2020, to ensure that their facilities are ready for resumption in line with the guidelines issued by the ministry of education for safe reopening of places of learning, said a decision would be…

Barring the controversies trailing the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, a Niger Delta activist has posited that the agency was set up not to succeed. AnnKio Briggs, the activist who stated this in an interview with Vanguard, noted “The NDDC is not controlled by the Niger Delta people, or from the region. “From the word go, the NDDC was set up not to succeed, but to be placed in a position that the people are the ones fighting themselves on behalf of people that are not Niger Deltans.” Briggs said the current controversies go beyond the personality of the Minister…

Nigeria has reported 600 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 35,454. This is according to the latest figures released on Friday night in a tweet by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). NCDC stated that19 new cases were recorded in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Lagos remains the epicentre of the virus in the country with 129 new infections followed closely by the FCT with 118 reported cases. Other states with new cases include Oyo – 87, Kano – 55, Benue – 42, Enugu – 35, and Kwara –…