Author: straightnewsng.com

Despite the disagreement between the Federal Government and some local government areas over who has the right to conduct marriages in the country, the Federal Government has published 12 marriage registries and places licensed to conduct statutory marriage across the country. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior, re-emphasised its position that it was the only tier of government permitted by the constitution to regulate and conduct marriages. It added that formation of statutory marriages was within the exclusive legislative list and that it was the regulatory body for the conduct of statutory marriages and the issuance of marriage…

By: Rowland Udoh Akwa (Abasi) Ibom State, is named after God and the people inhabiting the enclave enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), appear very religious. Some people are excited to attend ederi (church) every Sunday. As a matter of fact, they can be likened to the people of Athens who Apostle Paul in Acts 17: 22 tagged “most religious.” Most Akwa Ibom people name abasi for several things if they be not in the ederi fashion. They have abasi enyong (god of the sky or heavens), abasi isong (god of the earth…

By Akanimo Sampson A quarter century after the Beijing Conference on women, delegates gathered last week in the Addis Ababa, the headquarters of the African Union (AU) to press for economic inclusion of forcibly displaced and migrant women in Africa and reflect on their situation since that 1994 conference. Participants from embassies, the AU Commission, civil society, humanitarian aid organisations and refugees all took part in Tuesday’s meeting, which was organised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the AU Commission, as a side event during the Beijing+25…

By Akanimo Sampson         A 16-year-old Ugandan is still living with the traumatic memories of a sexual attack. As a result of the incident, she dropped out of formal education, but decided to apply for a job at a salon. While recalling the incident, Ms. Irene Asibazuyo, said, “as I feared being called names like married woman or raped girl, I chose to pursue hairdressing instead,’’ and described hairdressing as the “magic’’ skill that helped her overcome trauma and earn a living. In Uganda’s northern Arua District, Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for beauty salons in small towns…

South Africans white and black celebrated wildly on Saturday and expressed hopes that the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup win, inspired by black captain Siya Kolisi, would bring the nation together. The significance of Kolisi lifting the trophy after a 32-12 victory over England in Yokohama resonated across South Africa. During the years of apartheid, rugby was clearly identified as the sport of the country’s white minority. When Kolisi was made South Africa’s first black Test captain last year, it felt as if a barrier had been broken down — and in Yokohama on Saturday his achievement, and the team’s gradual…

The death toll from one of the deadliest “terrorist attack” on a military post in northeast Mali Friday has risen to 53, Communication Minister, Yaya Sangare, said on Saturday. Thirty-five soldiers were killed on Friday in the attack on the spot in Indelimane, Mali about 70 kilometres west of Menaka near the border with Niger, according to the army, which has dubbed the incident a terrorist attack. A civilian was also killed at the outpost close to the border with Niger, the country’s communication minister Yaya Sangare said on Twitter. “The situation is under control. A search and the process…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Manchester United had taken a “step back” after their mini-revival came to a crashing halt as Josh King’s strike earned Bournemouth a 1-0 win in treacherous weather conditions on England’s south coast. Solskjaer’s men had not won away from home since March until 10 days ago, but three consecutive wins on the road at Partizan Belgrade, Norwich and Chelsea to book a place in the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek hinted at a turning point for the Norwegian. Instead, the failings that have characterised their season were back in evidence as a lack of goal threat…

By Rowland Udoh The decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to instigate reform in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by the appointment of an Interim Management Committee (IMC), has been greeted with a cacophony of voices. The committee is made up of three persons – Dr. Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, and Mr. Ibanga Atang – to oversee the period of the forensic audit of the NDDC covering the period 2001 to 2019. The attacks seem to be more directed at the member of the Federal Executive Council in charge of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio…

Swaziland, the poorest but tiny African country, is on the news again as its King has fallen in love with profligacy and ostentatious lifestyle. Nationally, 58.9% of Swazis lived below the national poverty line in 2017. This follows a decline from 63% in 2009, and 69.0% in 2001. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Swaziland was worth 4.70 billion US dollars in 2018. The GDP value of Swaziland represents 0.01 percent of the world economy. GDP in Swaziland averaged 1.52 USD Billion from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 4.82 USD Billion in 2011 and a record…

A Federal High Court Lagos, Thursday, further adjourned hearing in the alleged N1.4 billion fraud case filed against President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Paul Usoro. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), charged Usoro before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on 10 counts bordering on fraud. Usoro was first arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan in December 2018, but the case was re-assigned to Justice Rilwan Aikawa. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges before Hassan, and also maintained his not guilty plea before Aikawa, and was granted bail. The continuation of trial which was earlier fixed for Thursday, has…