The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has placed a N2 million bounty on an Anambra State-based lawyer, Adachukwu Chukelu-Okafor, for allegedly burning her 11-year old house help.

She was alleged to have used hot pressing iron and a knife to burn and chop in pieces, the private part of her househelp.

Ms Kennedy-Ohanenye disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, following a viral video of the girl after she was abused and returned to her aunt, who gave her out as a house help.

“Please Nigerians go out there search for this woman, bring her out, call any police station and hand her over.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is offering N2 million to anybody that will lay hands on this woman and hand her over to the police.

“We need this woman urgently because the girl is in pain and has been in the hospital. It could be your child or anybody’s relation, so let us not fold our hands.

“We will give N2 million to anybody that will give necessary information to the police or the women affairs ministry on how to get Adachukwu, the barrister, who did all those harmful things to her house help.
“This woman will be apprehended by the police who have been looking for her and she is nowhere to be found,” she said.

Ms Kennedy-Ohanenye also urged the public to divulge any information that would enable the authorities to apprehend the suspect, who has gone into hiding, to ensure justice for the victim.
“This issue of Adachukwuchu who burnt her 11-year-old house girl with a hot knife, putting it in her private part and at the same time using hot pressing iron to do other damage on her is of grave concern to the federal government.
“I kept quiet initially because I thought that by now it would have been solved by the state since they are aware of it. For the fact that it still hasn’t been solved, I have decided to wade in.
“Some people will say why is the ministry always getting involved. Let me explain that it is within my purview to get involved in anything that involves women and children across Nigeria. I have every right to get involved in it,” she said.

The minister also revealed that the government would soon make a pronouncement on the issue of employing underage house helps that are less than 18 years, to end cases of child abuse and violation.

Policy on househelp recruitment

According to her, there will be an enforcement programme to that end to be driven by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“Again, in a couple of days, there will be a pronouncement from this ministry on taking househelps that are less than 18 years.

“We are going to put a stop to it, there will be a pronouncement within a week and an endorsement programme towards that action.
“And we will need the whistleblowers, who are Nigerians, to come and fight for your country, especially now. Come out and give information on anything that you feel will help this country,” she urged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a video of the house help, lying on a hospital bed after being allegedly abused, went viral, sparking public outrage.

(NAN)

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, on Monday paid condolence visit to the families of Herbert Wigwe and Abimbola Ogunbajo, expressing sympathies for the families of the deceased.

Peter obi on condolence visit to the family of Herbert Wigwe

According to Peter Obi,

@PeterObi

“Yesterday, with a heavy heart, I paid a condolence visit to the beloved families of my very dear friends, Herbert Wigwe and Abimbola Ogunbajo, whose deaths continue to break my heart and those of many in the nation.

“I expressed my deepest sympathies to the Wigwe and Ogunbajo families over this colossal loss. Herbert and I have remained very close friends over the years and I cherish the times, ideas, and moments we shared.

Peter Obi signing the condolence register of Abimbola Ogunbajo

“His death remains a terrible sore in my heart, especially when I consider his immense contributions to our national development, and his plans to do more for the nation in the very critical areas of development.

“He was a man who remained committed to the advancement of the nation and the progress of the people especially the youth.

“As we mourn his very painful death, we are comforted by the enduring legacies he left behind, the lives he positively touched both within and outside Nigeria, and the cherished memories of his kindness, simplicity, and love for humanity.

Peter Obi writing his condolence message

“May God Almighty grant eternal rest to Herbert, his wife, and son; to Abimbola Ogunbajo, and all those who died in the plane crash.

“May God comfort their families, and indeed all of us who mourn, and give us the fortitude to bear this sad and irreplaceable loss. -PO”

[NationalDaily]

A pivotal bill aimed at amending the 1999 Constitution to elevate the educational requirements for candidates aspiring to key political offices in Nigeria has been stepped down at the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Adewunmi Onanuga, representing the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State, the bill proposed setting a university degree or its equivalent as the minimum educational qualification for governorship, presidential, and other significant elective positions.

During the plenary session on Tuesday, Onanuga led the debate, advocating for the constitutional amendment to ensure that holders of elective offices possess at least a university degree, in contrast to the current provision, which permits candidates with a First School Leaving Certificate to contest for the nation’s highest offices.

The bill received backing from several lawmakers, including House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Babajimi Benson, and Kingsley Chinda, who supported the notion of raising the educational standards for political office aspirants.

However, opposition from certain quarters, including Aliyu Madaki from Kano State and Ahmadu Jaha of the APC, Borno, highlighted a divide among the representatives on the proposed alteration.

Citing the pushback, Onanuga expressed disappointment and opted to step down the bill, signalling her intent to engage in further lobbying with her colleagues to gather more support before reintroducing the bill at a later date.

She said, “It appears some of our colleagues need further lobbying. I will move to step down the bill for now.”

[NaijaNews]

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has received Premier League directors and owners’ test approval for his 25 per cent purchase of Manchester United.

A deal will be completed within days as the Football Association signs off a final agreement after Ratcliffe extended his purchase offer until the end of this week.

United’s Class A shares rose more than six per cent to $21 (£16.57) in post-market trading after the tender offer deadline was extended to Friday from Tuesday.

Club filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) overnight confirmed the league has privately approved the deal.

A Premier League statement confirming the decision is only expected once Ratcliffe completes, however, which is likely next week.

Filings confirmed there was no doubt as far as United’s shareholding set-up is concerned that the Ratcliffe deal will be done. By February 9, around 36.7 per cent of the outstanding Class A Shares had been “been validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) pursuant to the Offer,” the documents confirm.

Premier League approval for the deal is confirmed in the filing’s offer terms.

“Premier League Approval” has “already been obtained”, the document confirms, but the Football Association Approval is still awaited.

Ratcliffe, 71, has agreed to gain complete control of football operations as part of his deal for a minority shareholding but the Glazers have since agreed that Ineos should have a broader influence encompassing key decisions across the business.

Telegraph Sport detailed last week how plans include eventually creating a “Wembley of the North” under an ambitious 90,000-seater redevelopment of Old Trafford.

The Ratcliffe deal is now all-but-done after an extraordinary saga which saw the Glazers first start exploring a sale in Nov 2022.

A bump in share values overnight erased losses from earlier in the trading day on Monday amid speculation over whether the offer would be extended. In December, Ratcliffe agreed to buy the stake by allowing investors to swap about one-quarter of their Class A stock holdings for $33 per share, well above the current market price.

As of the close of Friday, 19.4 million shares had been validly tendered, according to the regulatory filing – which means Ratcliffe has already passed the threshold to complete his deal.

United’s American owners are set for a cash windfall of around £715 million from the sale of B shares to Ratcliffe. That eye-watering sum adds to earnings of around £465 million through past sales of A shares and around £150 million in dividend payments.

However, it was announced in previous regulatory filing that there will be no dividends paid for at least three years under Ratcliffe’s deal with the Glazers.

United were acquired by the Glazers for around £790 million in a hostile takeover in 2005, since when around £1 billion has been sucked out of the club in debt repayment, interest and management fees to service the leveraged buyout.

In addition to purchasing the Glazer shares, Ratcliffe – through his Isle of Man investment vehicle Trawlers Ltd – is buying up to 25 per cent of Class A shares at the same $33 per share price so as to minimise any risk of legal action from other minority shareholders such as Eminence Capital, Lindsell Train and Ariel Investments.

The deal values United’s equity at around $5.4 billion and gives the club an overall enterprise value of $6.3 billion, almost £5 billion.

Ratcliffe has also pledged an additional $300 million (£237 million) to invest in Old Trafford and infrastructure needs. The Oldham-born billionaire will have first refusal for a period of 12 months if the Glazers opted to sell more B shares in the future.

Equally, “drag-along” rights included in the deal mean Ratcliffe would be obliged to sell his shares subject to him receiving a $33 per share cash offer from the Glazers should they decide on a full sale 18 months from now.

A drag-along right is a provision or clause in an agreement that enables a majority shareholder to force a minority shareholder to join in the sale of the company.

[Leadership]

Nigeria lost of its brightest minds in the banking and financial sector on Friday when the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings died in a helicopter crash in California United States.

Wigwe was in a chopper with his wife, son and three other passengers, including former Nigeria Stock Exchange chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, when the incident happened.

They were reportedly heading for Las Vegas to watch the Super Bowl, the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States.

Patrick Yakowa

The former Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, died in a naval helicopter that crashed and burst into flames in the forest of Okoroba, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, shortly after take-off. Yakowa was a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012.

Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Abubakar III
The 19th Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido Abubakar III, also died in a plane crash on ADC Airlines Flight 53 on October 29, 2006, while returning to Sokoto after meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo. Maccido died along with his son, Badamasi Maccido and both were buried in Sokoto.

Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, lost his life in the ill-fated aircraft that killed 11 military officers on board, on May 21, 2021.

The aircraft crashed near Kaduna International Airport while the military officers were on their way to the passing out parade of regular recruits slated for the next day.

General Andrew Owoye Azazi
Former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Owoye Azazi, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, also died in a crash alongside the late Governor Yakowa in December 2012. He was Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Nigeria, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

[DailyTrust]

Jose Peseiro has expressed sadness at Nigeria’s failure to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Ivory Coast.

Peseiro beat all odds, including financial constraints and injuries to key players to lead the Super Eagles to the final of the 2203 AFCON.

Peseiro’s men were unbeaten in six games, drawing against Equatorial Guinea and securing victories over Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa to reach the final.

However, they lost 2-1 against the host in the final on Sunday.

In a tweet via his X account, Peseiro also said the Super Eagles are very proud of the tournament they played.

“We are sad for not having been able to win this title for Nigeria. But we are very proud of the tournament we played,” Peseiro, who is currently out of contract, tweeted.

“Guys, only we know how much we suffered and fought to have reached this final. I can’t find the words to thank everyone for what we did and achieved. I am grateful.”

[DailyPost]

The Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, disclosed on Tuesday, February 13, that social media content creators, Instagram users with larger followers, and TikTok users will soon be forced to register as businesses so they can start paying taxes to the government.

The RG disclosed this during a visit by the managing director, Opay, Dauda Gotring, and his team in Abuja, stating that the social media and content creators are generating a lot of money without paying any form of tax to the federal government.

He said: “This cannot go on, these groups of people are under mandate to register as a business considering the amount they make from the content creation, the government is all out to ensure every business in Nigeria no matter what or how is registered with the CAC.

“The commission is registering another batch of three hundred thousand business names from Opay. The visit from the Opay team is to ensure the regularisation of these business names in CAC. This will expand the tax net, encourage businesses, and create more jobs for Nigerians.

He noted that the idea behind Opay operations is to ensure every Nigeria uses a bank, even in the rural areas.

Opay is ready to partner with CAC to ensure these groups of people have their businesses registered, with their consent though.

Gotring said the Opay organization is working to ensure that all companies no matter how little, as long as you operate as a business you should be registered with the CAC.

He added that since Opay handles “these accounts they are working on sensitizing the owners of the accounts so they can be registered with CAC.”

[TheNation]

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, rewarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria with a national award (Member of the Order of the Niger, MON) flats in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and piece of land.

President Tinubu made the pronouncement when he received the players and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation is led by the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.

The Super Eagles finished as runners-up in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), hosted by Côte d’Ivoire. 

All the team members, clad in green attire, and officials were in attendance, including Alex Iwobi, who had faced cyber attacks following Nigeria’s loss to Cote d’Ivoire at the final of the just concluded African Cup of Nations.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu commended the team, the coach, the crew, and the entire management team for their hard work, assiduity, and sacrifice to come this far in the tournament, acknowledging the hurdles they consistently surpassed with steadily improving performance as they pulled through to the finals.

The President had urged Nigerians to be of good cheer, emphasising that we won a great victory in the hearts of Africa and the world with our grit, rigour, and determination in the field of play.
 
“Let this passing event not dispirit us but bring us together to work harder. We are a great nation bound as one by the green-white-green banner of resilience, joy, hope, duty, and untiring love.

“To those cherished Nigerian youths expressing their gifts in communities, drawing lines in the sand as they play football in their humble rectangles of play, you can be our heroes tomorrow, do not relent in your pursuit. My administration is here to make dreams come true,” the president said.

Vanguard News

How could such a fine gentleman, so generous, warm, humble and respectful die so violently with his wife, son and a friend? Why would such a visionary business leader, Godfearing and kindhearted human being perish so tragically? The United States aviation authorities should conduct full and detailed investigations into the helicopter crash that took away Dr. Herbert Wigwe, one of our finest and most industrious bankers and business icons, and his family. The callousness of the operators of that aircraft borders on criminal negligence. It is notable that Nigerian air accident investigators are collaborating with NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), the agency that investigates air and road accidents in the US, to unearth the causes of this crash. It was in January 2020 that Kobe Bryant, an American basketball star, died in a similar chopper crash with his daughter also in California. If those helicopters in the US are not well maintained, they should not be put up for charter. If the Californian weather is too treacherous in winters, those choppers should be grounded till the conditions improve. It is unconscionable wickedness to carry innocent people to their deaths.

 I am so sad, pained and devastated. This is one loss too much. The outpouring of griefs and the floods of messages from across Africa and around the world; from world leaders, colleagues and ordinary folks testify to Herbert’s extraordinary qualities and outstanding contributions. Millions of Nigerians from all walks of life, including millions of Access Bank’s customers, shareholders and employees, as well as the thousands of workers who are toiling to build Wigwe University are benumbed, stunned and pained by Herbert’s sudden death. To die at such a relatively young age with one’s wife and son is numbing, and, to say the least, disorienting. How is such a catastrophic calamity explained in the Bible? What does God say about good people dying so painfully and suddenly? Why did this happen, for goodness’ sake? The last time a young Nigerian’s violent and sudden death gripped the nation so painfully was on Sunday, October 19, 1986. If Dele Giwa’s death through a parcel bomb from some military evil planners had frightened the nation, Herbert Wigwe’s death in a helicopter crash in California has transfixed us all.

From all indications, I was chatting with Herbert some hours before his death. It was his habit to read his messages and respond promptly despite his grueling schedule. But when I noticed that he had not opened his phone for close to 15 hours on Saturday, I started developing a dreadful sense of foreboding, and I made a mental note to call him soon after the meeting I was attending that afternoon. But as soon as the meeting ended around 5pm, a call from a friend I haven’t heard from for long confirmed my fears. My hunch hardly goes wrong.

Herbert was an extraordinary human being who did not allow his outstanding attainments to dwindle his humanity. Some people disconnect completely from their roots when they get to the top. Not Herbert. He related well with the high and mighty as well as the low and forgotten. He kept in touch with his secondary school classmates; church members; village chiefs; community leaders as well as former staffs like me and other bank CEOs and Heads of governments. From one end of the spectrum to the other, he remains his witty, kind, humorous and amiable self. He was passionate about our youths and he created several mentorship programs for them. His philanthropic activities through his foundation are well known, but I guess, establishing a university for those he referred to as the ‘fearless’ generation will forever remain a timeless legacy. I am grateful that the people he assembled to midwife the institution have vowed to carry on the dream.

Working with Herbert in Access Bank, I realized early on that he was imbued with courage, boldness, determination and all the epithets that define fearlessness. The vision, mission and values of the bank were underpinned by the drive to conquer all obstacles and excel. It was for nothing that we called ourselves ‘’Access Warriors’’. I first met him on a Sunday afternoon in March 2008 when I appeared before him for an interview to join the bank. I was already used to his chubby face in the press, but in real life, Herbert looked serious, businesslike and his beady eyes were penetrating. I was slightly uncomfortable, but I was determined not to be intimidated. He asked just a few questions. My five years in the bank turned out to be some of the most rewarding.

The bank’s meteoric growth in the over 21 years he and his friend and partner, Aigboje, have been in charge reflects their collective business acumen. Herbert took over from Aig in January 2014, leading the bank through various growth phases till 2022 when it was restructured into a holding company structure. As the Group CEO of Access Corporation, the holding company, Herbert added economic diplomacy to his huge responsibilities. He visited foreign leaders, spoke about Africa renaissance, the climate crisis, green energy, the roles of tech in finance and the importance of giving our youths the opportunities they deserve as the bank expanded across Africa into Europe and Asia. The bank has invested billions of dollars in the 15 African economies it has operations in. The messages from Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa say it all.

I have reached out to Aig and a few other members of the Access family. The Group has lost three members in as many months. This must be the most difficult moment in the life of the institution, but I’m heartened to note that Aig has pledged to ensure that Herbert’s personal dreams, including the university, are not aborted. Now Herbert’s children are orphans. Losing their parents in such a circumstance could be traumatic. I trust that Aig will now step in to play a fatherly role to them (Proverbs 18:24).

I am told that we should not or cannot question the decisions of the Almighty God. I have also been told that God is not capable of doing bad things. But the mysteries of this life continue to confound me. Why are the good ones dying off so suddenly? While those who have stolen from this country and mismanaged it continue to flourish, others who worked hard to contribute to its development are quickly taken from us, some so violently.

The last message Herbert sent to me was that he would never be discouraged from working to change Nigeria positively. The development of this country was his obsession. May his aged parents, siblings, friends and colleagues be consoled.