Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in South West, Nigeria, has sparked off a seeming bitter revolt of the top traditional rulers of the state with his unacceptable appointment of a Chairman for the Council of Traditional Rulers in the state. In a letter to Fayemi on August 2, signed by 15 Pelupelu Obas with the exception of Oore of Otun, Oba Adedapo Popoola, who traveled abroad, the monarchs requested the All Progressives Congress (APC) governor to reverse the action, pointing out that a court had earlier struck out a suit filed by five monarchs who were…

By Akanimo Sampson The government of Nigeria under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari might have okayed the foreign medical trip of the detained leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife following intense backstage pressure from a group of Muslim medical doctors. The Shi’ites leader and his wife, Zeenat finally traveled out of the country on Monday. They reportedly departed Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, to India for medical treatment at about 6:30 pm Nigerian time, aboard a commercial airliner, Emirates. They were moved from Kaduna, where they had been in government detention since…

Mr. Ita Enang has dispelled rumours making rounds that he has been sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari. The PREMIUM TIMES, a reputable online newspaper, broke the news on Monday that Enang, a Senator from Akwa Ibom State, has been dropped by the President as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate). According to a source close to the Presidency, the online newspaper was said to be told on Sunday evening, that President Buhari has dropped Enang whom he appointed in 2015. “The president has picked Omoworare Babajide, a former senator from Osun state, as Mr Enang’s…

The gangster couple of the ‘Pepper Dem’ house, Mercy Eke and Ike Onyema won N2 million in the ‘Munch it’ challenge. The couple tagged ‘MerIke,’ also won dinner in a canoe and were treated to an in-house dinner by Biggie on Saturday. The ‘Pepper Dem’ gang took on the ‘Munch It’ Challenge to test the Housemates’ creativity, wit and dance moves. Housemates were required to pair up and the female housemates had the honours of picking which of the male housemates they wanted as partners. Venita picked Gedoni, Diane picked Frodd, Tacha picked Elozonam, Enkay picked Mike, Cindy picked Omashola,…

By Akanimo Sampson Naval chiefs in West Africa have upheld their commitment to the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS) as part of measures to secure the region’s maritime space and sections which provides for the establishment of Maritime Zones E, F and G as well as all the adopted Acts on maritime security. Chiefs of Naval Staff of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone as well as the Chief of Coast Guard of Liberia and the High Commander of the National Gendarmerie of Burkina Faso have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint maritime operations in the ECOWAS maritime…

The demarcation of boundaries between the coastal communities of Oku Iboku in Akwa Ibom and Ikot Offiong in Cross River will begin from November 11 to December 10. Over the years, the two contending communities have been embroiled in boundary crisis that has led to loss of several lives and properties worth millions of Naira. The decision was reached at a joint meeting of the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Moses Ekpo, his Cross River counterpart, Prof. Ivara Esu and the Acting Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, NBC, Mr. Adamu Adaji, in Uyo on Thursday. In a communiqué…

By Akanimo Sampson Morocco, Egypt and South Africa have left Nigeria far behind as countries in Africa with best-connected sea ports. In West Africa, where Nigeria is the big brother, the region has relatively low connectivity because it does not lie at the crossroads of major North-South or East-West shipping routes. These facts are contained in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (port LSCI). The index which now provides data on more than 900 ports dating back to 2006, is generated using the same methodology as that for the recently released country-level…

Marcus Rashford’s double helped rampant Manchester United start the new season with a bang as Chelsea capitulated in Frank Lampard’s first match in charge. The Premier League kept the most eagerly anticipated of the opening weekend to last as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started the Reds’ latest transitional season against a side buoyed by the appointment of a club great. Lampard’s side were on top for large patches but ended up being blown away at Old Trafford, where Rashford’s double complemented goals from Anthony Martial and debutant Daniel James as United’s curtain-raiser ended in a dream 4-0 victory. Solskjaer will be…

By Akanimo Sampson Humanitarian agencies have warned that periodic droughts, floods and land degradation caused by over-grazing are aggravating the existing vulnerabilities in Niger, and putting population at risk. Since Niger’s economy is largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, making it vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions, it is estimated that more than 100,000 hectares of arable land are lost each year in the country due to desertification. This troubled African country since 1975 has been celebrating National Arbor Day on August 3, which also doubles her Independence Day, by encouraging citizens to plant trees and organise environmental events. Both are essential…

By Akanimo Sampson For coastal communities like those of the Niger Delta, largely abandoned by development planners and executors, the ‘invention’ of a blue energy might just be all they need to rapidly transform their social and economic conditions. But, with around 800 million people worldwide still lacking even a basic drinking-water service, and with the global population expected to hit 10 billion soon, prospects for such happier days are not appearing very bright. However, a post-doctoral scholar in civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University in California, USA, Kristian Dubrawski, says blue energy is an immense and untapped source…