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•Two-third of ministers underperforming – Opposition
Strong indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu is planning to rejig his cabinet to ease out underperforming ministers.
Tinubu has been facing increasing pressure from within and outside his party, the All Progressives Congress, to sack ministers some of whom appeared to have been inactive.
The President had last year set up the Result and Delivery Unit, headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, to measure the performance of ministers and other top government officials serving in his administration. He warned that any minister or aide that underperformed would be sacked.
Last week, Tinubu replaced the directors-general of the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services after the heads of the agencies resigned their appointments.
Sources in the Presidency told Sunday PUNCH that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent.
The officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter, revealed that some ministers would be dismissed, while others would be reassigned to other ministries for improved effectiveness.
However, the sources did not disclose the ministers likely to be affected.
“What I can tell you is some (ministers) will go. A few will swap positions, then new people will be brought on board. But the President will be focused more on capacity now; on people who can easily add value to his government”, a source stated.
Another source disclosed that Tinubu’s close associates agreed that the President required a stronger cabinet to implement his policies effectively.
The source stated, “The general concern among some of his aides, friends, and even the public is that the cabinet can be far better than this. There is a consensus among his (Tinubu) close friends that he needs a stronger cabinet to push through with his policies. It is one thing to announce policies and it is another thing for your ministers to deliver the outcomes you want. Oftentimes, it is the capacity of your cabinet members and heads of agencies that determines how you will deliver on those outcomes.
“If you look at the editorial by Financial Times earlier this week, it was not palatable at all. And what they were saying is that, yes, he has taken bold decisions, the reforms are good, but he has a weak cabinet that cannot help him to deliver on those reforms. That is why it appears like we are wobbling. So, he needs to bring in people with more energy and expertise, who are more patriotic and willing to roll up their sleeves and work for Nigeria and turn things around.
“If the past one year has not been eventful, he cannot afford to waste another year. This next one year is very critical. It is the next one year that will define the government.”
‘We expect nothing good from Tinubu, APC’
Meanwhile, opposition political parties have said they are not expecting anything good from the APC-led Federal Government.
Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, Yunusa Tanko, the campaign spokesman for a former Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said the party was more concerned with improved electoral reforms.
He said, “We are not really interested in whether Tinubu changes or sacks his ministers. One of the major areas we thought there would be an improvement in is our demand for electoral reform. If we have an improved electoral reform, it will inevitably give us a good opportunity for credible elections to take place.
“Sacking or replacing your cabinet with new people is an extension of state capture. He will only be replacing them with his loyalists which we know will be a strategy ahead of 2027. But if he is really serious about improving the performance of his governance at the moment, he can start considering reshuffling his cabinet. Quite a number of the ministers are not measuring up to expectations.”
On his part, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, attributed the ministers’ woeful performance to Tinubu’s lack of empathy for Nigerians.
Abdullahi said, “It is not about changing the cabinet. When you acquire power through fraudulent and desperate means, it would take a million efforts, programmes, and policies to correct it because something cannot stand without a foundation. So what is the foundation of his presidency? That is the crux of the matter. As PDP, we are not expecting anything good during this period of divine grace, that God will keep him in power.”
The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Party, Peter Ameh, cautioned Tinubu against making the same mistake as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, by keeping his ministers for eight years.
He said CUPP was not surprised by the failure of Tinubu’s ministers, adding that a responsible government would have dismissed them long ago.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said only less than 15 ministers had met the expectations of Nigerians with their performance.
He argued that for Tinubu to succeed, he must “weed out” ministers underperforming and merge ministries and agencies performing similar functions.
He listed some of the underperforming ministers to include: the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Minister of Health, Muhammad Pate; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
Adeniran described some of Tinubu’s appointments as “jobs for the boys” and called on the President to urgently implement the recommendations of the Steve Orosanye report to reduce the size and cost of government.
“Most of the ministers are not performing; they are just noise makers and they seem not to understand the job they have been appointed to do. From our assessment, few of the ministers, less than 15 of them are performing.
“The President needs to weed out more than two-third of the crowd he put together as his cabinet. If he has 48 ministers, we are saying that he should weed out a minimum of 36 of them, so that we will know those that are the performing ministers.
“If he (Tinubu) continues with these people, many of them are pulling him back on what he calls his mission in office and that is why Nigeria is in problem today. Weeding them (ministers) out will stabilise his administration more and make those that will remain to be focused. When he weeds out that two-third, he should not replace them with another, he should just merge the ministries with other ones and supervise others directly”, Adeniran said.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Joint Action Front, Abiodun Bamgboye, attributed the poor performance of the ministers to the anti-people policies of Tinubu, saying even if the President sacked and replaced them with angels, they would fail.
According to him, the President is trying to save his face by planning to sack underperforming ministers, adding that the poor performance of the ministers was a reflection of Tinubu’s leadership.
“When you look at the current economic situation of the country, it does not suggest that any minister has performed to the expectations of Nigerians, but is not the question of ministers, it is the economic policies that this regime adopted,” Bamgboye said.
An economic expert, Aliyu Ilias, argued that holding ministers accountable by reducing their numbers could serve as a check on performance and improve governance.
Ilias stated that the current administration’s decision to maintain a large number of government officials was misguided.
He said, “We have not seen them sacking or reducing ministers. Rather, we see them praising them by saying that there is a livestock ministry again. This doesn’t make sense. Let’s give the President the benefit of the doubt. Sacking underperforming ministers will help this government and this will be like a check and balance on them to perform well.”
The Katsina State command of the Nigeria Police Force has confined the arrest and detention of three individuals suspected to be gunrunners.
According to the force, the individuals were arrested while transporting a significant quantity of ammunition intended for terrorists within the region.
During a press briefing at the Katsina police headquarters on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed that on August 29, 2024, at approximately 12:45 PM, law enforcement officials apprehended three individuals known for their involvement in gunrunning and seized a substantial amount of live ammunition.
He indicated that the suspects were captured in Dutsinma town, located in the Dutsinma Local Government Area, while they were in the process of delivering 740 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition to alleged bandits in the Yauni forest, situated in Ummadau village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Initial investigations suggest that the suspects had obtained the ammunition from Nasarawa State, intending to deliver it to a certain Harisu, a suspected leader of bandits who is currently evading capture.
Naija News understands that the three individuals have admitted to their roles in the operation and have implicated Harisu as the orchestrator, Aliyu further stated.
In a separate incident, three suspects confessed to the police regarding their method of transferring N6 million from a victim’s bank account by utilizing the victim’s mobile device.
The police spokesman said: “The fact of the case is that on 3rd August 2024, the command received a complaint that on the same date at about 0130 hrs, a three-man gang of suspected armed robbers criminally conspired and attacked the residence of one Ukashatu Isah, of Kofar Arewa quarters, Baure Local Government Area, Katsina State, where they robbed him of his two mobile phones at gunpoint.
“The suspects, using the stolen mobile phones, criminally transferred a total sum of N6 million naira from the victim’s bank account into three different bank accounts.
“Upon receipt of the report, detectives swung into action, and they successfully traced and arrested the trio in connection with the offence.
“During investigations, the suspects confessed to the commission of the offence and they will soon be charged to court.
“The Command is working tirelessly to apprehend more suspects and bring them to justice.
“This achievement demonstrates our commitment to combating banditry and gunrunning in Katsina State and beyond.”
•Suppliers unwilling to sell on further credit
•Credit trading not peculiar to us — Spokesman
Global suppliers of petrol are no longer enthusiastic about supplying the product on credit to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) due to piling debts, Sunday Vanguard has learnt.
Competent industry sources told our correspondent last night that NNPCL, which solely imports the product using supply agents, is apparently weighed down by over $6 billion in debt, which the firm has not settled over time.
The setback, according to informed sources, is apparently responsible for the lingering hiccups in fuel supply in recent weeks, our correspondent gathered.
One of the sources familiar with the PMS importation into the country revealed that, at the moment, no fewer than five vessels which were primed to supply petrol to Nigeria have refused to discharge the product to NNPC due to fear that they would not be paid cash on delivery.
The insider pointed out that the mounting debt has heightened the pressure on the petroleum company, which has now resorted to rationing its stock and appealing to its long-term suppliers to not cut off supply.
A senior official at the NNPC, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the company is struggling to supply dealers due to a shortage of products at its disposal.
The official lamented: “Bulk sales of ships and trucks to depot owners have slowed down in the last five days due to shortage of supply”.
The source added that no bulk sales had taken place since Tuesday, resulting in the scarcity in the downstream sector.
Another NNPC staff told this newspaper that fuel shortage, which resulted in the long queues being experienced in the last two months, was principally caused by the reduction in supply of products by suppliers who are being owed by the Nigerian oil firm.
The top official admitted: “I was aware that at some points in mid-August, the Federal Government had to come in by giving money to NNPC to defray some of the outstanding liabilities and boost the confidence of the suppliers to continue.
“However, what was paid was about $300 million, which only helped us get some reprieve for about a week before the queues fully returned,” he said.
Credit transaction common in the oil business – NNPC
Responding, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Mr Femi Soneye, said it was a common practice in the global oil industry to trade on credit but would not say more than that.
Soneye said: “In the oil trading business, transactions are often carried out on credit; so it is normal to have outstanding balances at certain times.
“Additionally, through our subsidiary, NNPC Trading, we maintain open trade credit lines with several traders.”
But when asked to confirm the exact amount the company owes its PMS suppliers, the spokesperson declined, saying, “I will need some time to provide you with the exact amount”.
Sule Lamido, an ex-governor of Jigawa, says former President Muhammadu never wanted Bola Tinubu to be his successor.
Lamido said Buhari wanted Ahmad Lawan, a former senate president, to succeed him.
In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Lamido said Buhari was “naive and absurd” in his political calculation, adding that the former president wanted a northern successor after he had spent eight years.
The former governor said Buhari did not trust his vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, to succeed him.
“Prior to the convention, he (Tinubu) was in Abeokuta, Ogun state, where he boasted that it was his turn to rule Nigeria. And Buhari, very naive, was watching,” Lamido said.
“He never liked Tinubu. There was somebody he wanted. He didn’t even trust his own vice president, Professor (Yemi) Osinbajo; he wanted Ahmed Lawan, but his calculation was absurd.
“You have done eight years for the north, and you wanted another northerner for another eight years! No. Maybe later, but there are some dynamics which you can’t alter, not in Nigeria of today.
“The president of Nigeria, after being in office for eight years, lacked the courage to push through his anointed choice.
“He was there at the convention, and Tinubu, that he never liked, and never believed in, emerged.
“Tinubu knows that his victory wasn’t from Buhari; therefore, he owes him nothing.
“He wasn’t the choice of Afenifere; Obasanjo never liked him, but he became president. All the other groups, including the governors, were there, but he won. He was determined to demolish all obstacles, and he crushed them.”
The former governor said it will be “very difficult” for Tinubu to be defeated in the 2027 presidential election.
He added that Tinubu defeated all obstacles to become president in 2023, including a sitting president, who did not want him.
“We are working hard, but it is a huge task. It is going to be difficult with Tinubu, with his hold on the country, on the economy, and his audacity to say this is where I stand against Nigeria’s interest. It is something else,” he said.
“Tinubu is very daring; he is his own creation, he is a self-made man, right from Chicago, what he went through on the streets.
“Look at how he was able to fight the Alliance for Democracy and Afenifere and then Obasanjo.”
Four travellers have died as twenty others sustained injuries including two corps members in a multiple accident in Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State.
The accident along Osun/Ondo road via Joseph Ayo Babalola University(JABU) involved three vehicles.
A video circulating on social media showed many wounded passengers lying down on the floor, some of them dead.
Reacting to the accident, the Osun State Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC), Taofeek Sokunbi, blamed the incident on the carelessness of the drivers.
He said, “The accident occurred three days ago. Four people died and twenty people were injured. The accident occurred when there was a speed breaker.
“I want to urge drivers to drive carefully on the road because the accident was caused by over speeding. The accident was carelessness on the path of the driver.“
Chidinma Adetshina representing Taraba State has been crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, beating out 24 other contestants for the coveted title.
Adetshina clinched the coveted crown at the grand finale of the beauty pageant held at Eko Hotel and Suites on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old beauty queen, who recently made headlines for her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant due to a controversy over her Nigerian heritage, proved to be a fan favorite throughout the competition after accruing the highest number of votes.
As the newly crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidinma will represent the country at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant, scheduled to take place later this year in Mexico.
She succeeds last year’s winner, Mitchell Ikachukwu, and will carry on the legacy of Nigerian beauty and excellence on the global stage.
Emerging winners on the night as well were Miss Anambra as the first runner-up also known as Miss Supranational and Miss Ondo, the second runner-up known as Miss Lush.
Miss Rivers, Miss Kwara also won special awards.
Miss Oyo scooped the top model award of the night while Miss Imo won Best Costume of the night. Miss Abuja also won Best Talent of Award.
In the top 10 were Miss Kwara, Edo, Taraba, Anambra, Ogun, Plateau, Lagos, Rivers, Ekiti and Ondo.
In the top five were Taraba, Rivers, Edo, Ondo and Anambra.
Being among the first three with the highest votes, Miss Taraba emerged the new Miss Universe Nigeria by the judges scorecards.
Chidimma withdrawal from the South African pageant final came a day after the Home Affairs ministry accused her mother of fraud and identity theft.
“After much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I,” Adetshina, 23, wrote on Instagram.
Adetshina, a law student, was the subject of vicious, xenophobic attacks on social media since she was announced as a finalist in July, with many — including cabinet ministers — questioning her credentials because of her Nigerian descent.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to allow anyone to take over the Peoples Democratic Party structure in Rivers State.
The former Rivers State Governor vowed to cause a political crisis in their states if any PDP governor tried interfering in the party’s affairs in the South-South state.
PUNCH Online reports that the PDP governors, who met in Taraba State on August 23, weighed in on the crisis rocking the party in the state and reiterated their support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The PDP Governors’ Forum, in a communique read by its Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, called for a review of the party congress outcome to restore Fubara’s leadership role in the state.
Speaking at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday during the party’s state congress, Wike urged the PDP governors to stay clear of the party’s affairs in Rivers.
He said, “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody.
“I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take.
“Because I heard they got some money from a signature bonus, and so their heads are getting big that you will put a hand in my own state. Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state.
“Whether you are from Bauchi, I don’t give a damn, whichever state you are from, as far as I know, that you are trying to put yourself in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt, and you will never sleep in your state.”
The Rivers PDP has been in crisis following the fallout between Wike and his predecessor, who was absent at the congress.
In attendance alongside the minister were some serving and past lawmakers at both federal and state levels, former council chairmen, and other party faithful.
[Punch]
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has sacked the Executive management of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agriculture Lending (NIRSAL).
A source at the organisation confirmed that the affected directors got their letters on Friday.
The pioneer Managing Director, Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, had earlier been sent away over an alleged multi-billion Naira fraud and has been under investigation.
His replacement, Abbas Umar Masanawa was removed in the latest exercise.
Although the CBN said the exercise was part of reorganisation, insiders said that it was part of the decision of Mr. Cardodo to remove those with unwholesome records.
What remained unclear was how all the directors would be involved in the mismanagement of the resources of NIRSAL.
Other directors who were sacked were : Kennedy Nwaruh, Executive Director, Operations; and Olatunde Akande, NIRSAL Plc’s Executive Director, Technical.
It was not clear if other staff in the Directorate cadre would be affected in further similar exercises.
But it was learnt that uncertainties about the fate of other senior staff was of a great concern to the workers.
[Vanguard]
Arrested and detained EndBadGovernance protesters have filed an application before a federal high court in Abuja seeking to vacate an order allowing the police to detain them for 60 days.
Nigerians staged a nationwide protest against economic hardship from August 1–10.
The protesters demanded a reduction in the cost of governance, a return to the petrol subsidy regime, food security, and fiscal discipline, among others.
The demonstration, however, turned violent in some parts of the country, with looting and vandalism recorded in some states.
Following the protests, the police announced the arrest of perpetrators in some states.
On August 22, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, granted an ex parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1223/2024 brought by the inspector-general of police to detain 49 respondents in the FCT for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation.
However, the respondents have filed an application seeking to vacate the order against them on the grounds that their fundamental rights were breached.
Amongst several other grounds, the respondents/applicants, through their legal team led by Femi Falana, contended that “the honourable judge acted without jurisdiction when his lordship made an order committing the defendants to correctional centre pursuant to Section 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015″.
“Pursuant to Section 293 (1) ACJA 2015, only a magistrate court that has jurisdiction to try an offender that was brought within a reasonable time,” the application reads in part.
“At the time of the hearing of the motion ex-parte, the respondent/applicant was in custody of the applicant/respondent at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and not produced before the court.
“The motion ex-parte was predicated on suppression and misrepresentation of material facts.
“The motion ex-parte constitutes a gross abuse of the process of this honourable court.
“The complainant/respondent motion ex parte did not disclose any fact capable of linking the respondents/applicants to any terrorism activity.”
Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the motion by the court.
[TheCable]
Malik Abdulganiyu and Hawal Akande have been reportedly found dead in a river at Egudu Baale community in the Ado-Ota LGA area of Ogun state.
Omolola Odutola, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the development on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Abdulganiyu and Akande reportedly left their home on Olaigbe Street in Egudu Baale to report to work at the local Salvation Army, also located within the same community.
Odutola said the next day, the mothers of the deceased reported that their children were yet to come home from work.
He said following a search, the bodies of the kids were found in a river not far from their home.
“On August 8, 2024, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the mothers of Abdulganiyu and Akande, aged 15 and 13, respectively, reported that their children had not returned home from work on Thursday,” Odutola said.
“The corpses were discovered floating in a river not far from their home. Police detectives visited the scene and conducted a thorough examination of the bodies, but found no signs of an attack.
“The bereaved family demanded the release of the corpses, arguing that they wanted to bury them according to Islamic rites.”
More...
Mercy Eke, the reality TV star, has opened up about her experience with the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery.
In a recent interview, Eke said she underwent the BBL in Nigeria in 2018 without thoroughly researching her surgeon.
She explained that the trend at the time influenced her then and she did not fully grasp the potential risks.
Eke said she would take the time to thoroughly investigate the surgeon’s track record if she ever considered undergoing surgery again.
“To be very truthful, it was initially because of the trend. I did my body in 2018,” she said.
“I think, at the time, it was just the trend, maybe peer pressure. Everyone was doing it.
“I had a beautiful, slim body, but my stomach was a little too much.
“I did my body here in Nigeria. I didn’t do any research on the doctor beforehand.
“Maybe I was just ignorant. I didn’t think about the risks.
“But now, if I have to touch my body, I have to see the works of that doctor. How many deaths?
“How many complications? I’m going to ask a lot of questions before anybody can touch my body again.”
Eke rose to fame after winning the fourth season of the BBNaija reality TV show in October 2019.
In 2020, she made her acting debut in the film ‘Fate of Alakada’.
She also featured in the Nollywood blockbuster ‘Shanty Town’.
In 2023, Eke participated in the BBNaija All-Stars season, finishing as the first runner-up
My 54 years old Wife Who Deliver 11 Babies Was Pregnant For Three And A Half Years – Cleric Tells His Story
AFOLABI
When Alhaji Yahaya Imam Nafiu, an Islamic cleric and Missioner of the Ilorin Emirate Development Progressive Union in the Republic of Benin, learned that his third wife had given birth to 11 babies, he was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the news.
The news left him feeling jittery, and the reality of the financial strain and responsibility of caring for eleven newborns almost made him run away.
In an interview with Tunde Oyekola, he recounts his initial fears and how he tried to come to terms with the overwhelming responsibility
Recently, news broke that your wife gave birth to 11 children. How did you feel when you received the news?
My wife, Chognika Latoyossi Alake, who is a native of Ajasse-Cotonou in Benin Republic, gave birth to 11 children in Porto Novo in two tranches. She first delivered six – five boys and one girl – on July 6 and 7, 2024.
On August 14, she gave birth to another five boys. Unfortunately, one of the girls from the first set passed away about one and a half hours after birth, and we later lost another baby. Currently, we have nine surviving children, and they have all been named.
Were these children her first?
No, they are not her firstborn. Latoyossi is my third wife. I had two wives before marrying her. She was previously married and had three children in her first union. She became pregnant nine years after having her last child. This particular pregnancy lasted for about three and a half years.
I left Ilorin in 2008 for Porto Novo in search of greener pastures. I’m 56 years old while my wife, Latoyossi, is 54 years old.
A normal pregnancy is supposed to last nine months. What did you do when there was an unusual delay?
During that period, she visited hospitals, underwent various medical tests and scans, and had three surgeries. The most surprising thing was that each time doctors attempted to operate on her, the incision would close up again. The last doctor, a white man, said he had never encountered anything like it in his long medical career. The doctors also told us that unseen spirits seemed to be interfering whenever they attempted to operate. After exhausting the options at government and private hospitals in the Benin Republic, we turned to traditional birth attendants.
What do you think caused the extended pregnancy?
I’m not certain about what caused it, as it wasn’t her first pregnancy. As I mentioned before, she had three children from her previous marriage. However, I suspect it might have been due to some malevolent forces. We were all deeply concerned when she couldn’t deliver the babies within the expected timeframe.
Were the children born via caesarean section?
No, they were delivered naturally by their mother. They were born at a traditional birth attendant’s home.
Did the doctors confirm there were babies in her womb?
Yes, medical tests confirmed she was pregnant, but the scans didn’t reveal the number of babies. They only indicated that she was carrying babies.
When you were informed that she delivered 11 babies, what was your reaction?
The 11 babies weren’t delivered all at once; they came in two tranches. When I received the call that my wife had delivered six babies, I was terrified because the news was so shocking. Although I had heard of such things happening in other countries, it was unprecedented in Nigeria or the Benin Republic. Initially, I didn’t believe it. I asked about my wife’s condition, and they assured me she was fine. I wanted to speak with her, but they said it wasn’t possible at that moment. At one point, I considered fleeing because I couldn’t fathom how I would feed eleven children in addition to the others I already had. But eventually, I decided to go and see them, believing that Allah, who gave them to us, would also provide for their needs.
What happened next?
About a week after delivering the six babies, my wife began to complain of stomach pain and had difficulty eating. Despite the traditional birth attendant’s advice not to take her elsewhere, we decided to visit a hospital. The doctor there recommended another scan, which revealed that more babies were still in her womb, though the exact number wasn’t clear. We returned to the traditional birth attendant, who admitted that he had known there were more babies but didn’t want to alarm her. He instructed us to return when she showed signs of labour. When she started experiencing labour pains, we took her back, and she delivered another five boys, one of whom later passed away. The last set of babies are two weeks old and are all healthy.
As an Islamic cleric, how do you describe the birth of 11 children by a single woman?
The birth was nothing short of a miracle from Allah; something no human can fully comprehend. It is an inexplicable wonder (Ise Olorun ni, awamaridi si ni ti enikankan ko le mo).
Are twins common in your family?
No, twins are not common in my family. Only one member of my family has given birth to twins and they are two girls. Since then, no member of my family has had multiple births.
What has it been like feeding the babies?
The first five babies were breastfed by their mother for the first few days, but she soon became overwhelmed, and we had to switch to formula. They consume three containers of formula daily.
How are you coping with this situation?
Although we are not wealthy, we are relying on Allah, who blessed us with these babies. We are appealing to both the Federal and Kwara State governments, as well as to philanthropic individuals in society, to assist us in caring for these gifts from God.
What are your plans for the babies?
Strictly following our tradition in Ilorin, when the babies were born, I informed the Magaji of our compound, who is the head of the family, and other family members. Baba Magaji then informed the Emir of Ilorin about the great gift bestowed upon our family. I came to Ilorin on Tuesday this week, and we visited the Emir, HRM Maimataba Alhaji Sulu-Gambari, on Wednesday to celebrate the blessing of the eleven children. The Emir offered special prayers for the children and the entire family and gave us gifts to help take care of them. We have also informed the governor about the children. However, one significant challenge remains – bringing the children and their mother from Benin Republic to Ilorin so that the Emir and our family can see and pray for them. I don’t have the funds to transport them. Another challenge is that I have not yet performed the necessary traditional rites for my wife, which is also costly. Although we have fulfilled the Islamic requirements for marriage, we still need to complete the traditional ceremonies before she can travel with me to Ilorin. Therefore, I am appealing to philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to come to our aid so that the babies can be well cared for and brought to see my family.
***
Source: The PUNCH
One Emmanuel Urhobocha has allegedly taken his life in Ogun State.
The lifeless body of the 35-year-old man was found in his apartment on Alafia Street in Sango-Ota, located in the Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area.
The deceased was said to have committed suicide around 9:00 a.m. on Friday after he started displaying some bizarre behaviour.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying one Obabiyi David, the roommate of the deceased, had reported him at the police station after he (Urhobocha) stabbed him.
The command’s spokesperson, Odutola Omolola, disclosed that David, had gone to the Sango-Ota Police Division to report that his flatmate was acting irrationally.
“He (David) stated that Urhobocha was behaving oddly and even mentioned that the deceased had attacked him with a knife at one point. David sustained injuries but managed to escape the assault,” Odutola stated.
A team of policemen from the Sango-Ota division was sent to interrogate Urhobocha regarding the alleged attack on his friend, but upon arrival, they found the room locked from the inside.
After several attempts to force the door open, the police finally gained entry and found the suspect lying lifeless, face down in the apartment.
Odutola said, “He was discovered dead in the apartment, with a container of insecticide found next to his body.
“He was promptly transported to a local hospital for medical attention, but the attending doctor confirmed him dead. His body has been placed in the morgue for an autopsy, and the incident remains under investigation.”
This incident occurred just days after a 32-year-old man, Olúwaṣeun Shorinola, died by suicide in the Kémta area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on August 28, 2024.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has revealed the data showing student loan applicants by state of origin.
President Bola Tinubu in July launched NELFUND.
The revised Student Loan Act 2024 was signed to remove financial barriers and make education more accessible to all Nigerian students, regardless of their economic background.
The loans cover tuition, fees, and maintenance costs. The repayment process starts two years after the beneficiary completes the NYSC program.
The Federal Government recently allocated over N2.5 billion in student loans to over 22,00 students nationwide, with institutions in the Southeast notably absent from the list of beneficiaries.
Students from Kano and Borno States have emerged as the frontrunners in the NELFUND student loan applications.
Kano State recorded 17,122 applications out of 20,814 registered tertiary students.
Borno State followed closely, with 13,798 students applying for the loan out of 16,353 registered students.
These figures were shared on NELFUND’s X account, highlighting the distribution of registered students and subsequent loan applicants by state of origin.
Benue State ranked third, with 11,754 of its 16,127 registered students applying for the student loan.
Oyo State saw 14,086 students register, with 8,990 moving forward with the application process.
In Kaduna State, 13,873 students registered, and 10,380 proceeded to apply.
Katsina State had 13,538 students register, of which 10,952 eventually applied.
Osun State registered 13,368 students, with 8,093 applying for the loan.
Kogi State saw 12,675 students register for the NELFUND student loan, with 8,400 of them proceeding to apply.
In Plateau State, 11,624 students registered, and 9,328 of them went on to submit their loan applications.
Adamawa State had 11,219 students register, of which 8,977 successfully applied for the loan.
Kwara State recorded 11,126 registrations, with 7,645 students applying for the loan.
In Taraba State, 10,699 students registered for the student loan, and 8,668 of them proceeded to apply.
Yobe State had 10,398 students register, with 8,966 going on to apply for the loan.
Ogun State saw 10,387 registrations, with 5,943 students moving forward with the application.
Akwa Ibom State recorded 9,594 registrations, with 6,525 students applying for the loan.
In Bauchi State, 8,358 students registered, and 6,517 applied for the student loan.
Kebbi State had 7,873 students register, with 6,333 proceeding to apply for the loan.
Gombe State recorded 7,594 registrations, with 6,121 students applying for the loan.
Niger State saw 7,487 students register, and 5,804 of them went on to submit their loan applications.
In Jigawa State, 6,937 students registered, with 5,535 successfully applying for the loan.
Ondo State had 6,519 students register, with 3,854 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
Nasarawa State saw 6,192 students register, and 4,789 of them applied for the loan.
Ekiti State recorded 6,065 registrations, with 3,497 students applying for the loan.
In Imo State, 5,458 students registered, with 2,802 going on to submit their loan applications.
Delta State saw 4,943 registrations, with 2,771 students applying for the loan.
Ebonyi State recorded 4,749 registrations, with 2,981 students applying for the loan.
In Cross River State, 4,282 students registered and 2,476 of them proceeded to apply.
Enugu State had 4,133 students register, with 2,247 successfully applying for the loan.
Abia State saw 4,068 registrations, with 2,170 students moving forward with the application.
Lagos State recorded 3,947 registrations, with 2,347 students applying for the loan.
Anambra State had 3,747 students register, with 1,840 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
In Zamfara State, 3,721 students registered, and 2,986 of them successfully applied for the loan.
Edo State saw 3,612 registrations, with 2,149 students applying for the loan.
Rivers State recorded 3,612 registrations, with 2,162 students applying for the loan.
Sokoto State had 3,014 students register, with 2,055 proceeding to apply for the student loan.
Bayelsa State saw 1,977 students register, with 1,267 of them applying for the loan.
In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 894 students registered for the loan, while 676 proceeded to submit their applications.