It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one year of incredible book-to-screen adaptations comes to an end, another will take its place.
From the long-awaited arrival of It Ends With…
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Ronwen Williams Makes History as First South African Goalkeeper to Win CAF Goalkeeper of the Year Award: Check his Stats.
Ronwen Williams has etched his name into the annals of African football. The South African shot-stopper became the first goalkeeper from his nation to claim the prestigious CAF Goalkeeper of the Year award, capping off a phenomenal 2023/24 season that showcased his world-class talent and unrivaled consistency.
Ronwen Williams’ numbers in the 2023/24 season reads: Across domestic, continental, and international competitions, the 32-year-old proved to be an impenetrable wall between the posts, earning praises from all.
49 Clean Sheets: Williams recorded 49 clean sheets across all competitions, a feat unmatched by any goalkeeper on the continent.
17+ Penalties Saved: Whether it was a crucial league fixture, a tense African Football League knockout game, or the pressure-packed AFCON matches, Williams’ ability to save penalties became a defining trait of his season.
At the continental level, Williams led his team to new heights in the African Football League (AFL), where he was crowned AFL Best Goalkeeper. He played a critical role in guiding his club through a grueling tournament, with his reflexes and leadership proving invaluable.
On the international stage, Williams shone brightly at the 2023 AFCON, where South Africa defied the odds to secure a third-place finish. His heroics earned him the AFCON Best Goalkeeper award, cementing his reputation as Africa’s premier shot-stopper.
Domestically, Williams dominated the DStv Premiership in South Africa. His performances helped his club to league glory, and his personal contributions were recognized with both the DStv Premiership Goalkeeper of the Season award and the coveted PSL Footballer of the Season title.
Williams’ trophy cabinet for the season is a testament to his unmatched consistency and brilliance:
COSAFA Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, CAF Men’s Interclub Player of the Year, Yachine Trophy Nominee
The latter recognition placed Williams among the world’s elite goalkeepers, underscoring his impact not only on African football but also on the global stage.
Ronwen Williams’ triumph at the CAF Awards marks a historic moment for South African football. No goalkeeper from the country had previously claimed this honor, and his win represents a major breakthrough for both South African and COSAFA-region football. It is a testament to his hard work, resilience, and unwavering determination over the years.
Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed the size of the task ahead as Leicester City suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to Brentford.
Brentford’s Kevin Schade hat-trick led the charge for the hosts.
Van Nistelrooy, newly appointed as Leicester’s manager, watched from the directors’ box as his side’s defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed.
Leicester started brightly, taking the lead in the 22nd minute through Facundo Buonanotte, who finished a Jamie Vardy assist after capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Ethan Pinnock.
However, the Foxes’ joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Brentford equalized when Schade set up Yoane Wissa to tap in unmarked.
Schade then turned scorer, pouncing on chaotic defending to give the Bees the lead.
His second goal came in first-half stoppage time, finishing a Mikkel Damsgaard pass from a tight angle to make it 3-1.
Leicester’s defense, despite the inclusion of England international Conor Coady and Luke Thomas, struggled to cope with Brentford’s attacking trio.
In the second half, Brentford remained dominant. Schade completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute, outpacing Leicester’s defenders to fire past Mads Hermansen.
The hosts controlled possession, delighting their fans with fluid football and keeping Leicester at bay.
For Van Nistelrooy, the task of revitalizing Leicester is clear.
While the team boasts attacking potential, as evidenced by their consistent scoring record this season, defensive frailty remains their Achilles’ heel.
Ruben Amorim’s first match as Manchester United manager offered an early glimpse of promise but also showed the immense challenge he faces.
Despite taking an early lead, United were largely outplayed by newly-promoted Ipswich Town, settling for a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.
Amorim introduced a 3-4-3 formation, and his tactical fingerprints were evident within the opening two minutes.
Amad Diallo, deployed at wing-back, delivered a sharp cross for Marcus Rashford, who scored just his second Premier League goal of the season.
The fast start raised hopes of a turnaround under the new boss.
However, Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich displayed greater zeal, with Omari Hutchinson equalizing through a deflected thunderbolt in the first half.
The Tractor Boys pushed United to the brink, forcing Andre Onana into several critical saves to keep the score level.
Check out Destiny Etiko, Ruth Kadiri, Funke Akindele’s alleged earnings from monetized platforms
Rumors are circulating online about the lucrative earnings of Nollywood stars, including Funke Akindele and Destiny Etiko, who allegedly earn about $200,000 on monetized platforms.
The reported lucrative monthly earnings were disclosed by investigative journalist and blogger, Stella Dimoko Korkus.
According to Stella Dimoko Korkus, Nollywood thespians currently charge movie producers appearance fees, citing their lucrative online earnings.
Furthermore, Stella Dimoko Korkus alleged that Uche Jombo and Omoni Oboli earn approximately $70,000 to $100,000, while Destiny Etiko and Chizzy Alichi earn over $50,000.
The gossip blogger further alleged that a movie producer based in Abuja earns over $400,000 from monetized platforms.
Read Stella Dimoko Korkus post below….
“Nollywood Actors Turn Billionaires From Monetised Social Media Videos”.
“A good thing is happening in Nollywood.There is a financial revolution going on and there is no reason to be broke anymore unless one is lazy!!!.”.
“All the actors are busy and you cannot get anyone of them to shoot movies as was the case anymore.If they agree to take your script, they will charge you based on what they think you may be earning on YouTube or any other monetised platform”.
“Let us look at the figures some actors are allegedly making on YouTube every month….I dont have the details of Tiktok and Facebook”.
“There is a Nollywood movie producer named Uche who lives in Abuja, OH MY GOD, he is living large as a result of his hard work and his earnings on monetised platform is as much as $400k every month…If you step into his studio in Abuja you will need to catch your breath”.
“The next big persons earning madly on monetised platforms are movie producers Ruth Kadiri and Funke Akindele. Both reportedly allegedly earn about $200k every month and one of them is investing heavily on real Estate and i mean real estate big time.These two women are Billionaires in every sense of the word”.
“Actor Freddie Leonard is rumoured to be earning about -50K USD on his monetised platforms and is no longer available to make movies for others as he now acts and loads his movies on monetised platforms”.
“The likes of Uche Jombo, Omoni Oboli and others make between 70-100k USD every month….Destiny Etiko and Chizzy Alichi are also big time earners who allegedly earn over 50k USD every month….These are just a few of those making money”.
“Your unfavourite actor Yul Edochie is earning big time as well on all his monetised platforms and that is why he will not stop posting all the nonsense you people hate anytime soon…So while you are thinking he is under the influence of love charm and misbehaving, his earnings skyrocket every month.”.
“The earnings are real and it has become really crazy and toxic according to an Insider.To begin to monetise these pages, they need about 2k subscribers and are good to go”.
“Its a beautiful thing happening and no movie producer can tell any”.
See the post below…
Lest you think Coulier came up with his “Cut. It. Out” catchphrase by himself, or had it written for him in the Full House writer’s room, the comedian has admitted that he lifted it wholesale from a pal.
During his time as a comedy duo with friend Mark Cendrowski prior to the show, it was Cendrowski who, while playing a suave character, would tell women in the audience, “You’re in love with me, now cut. It. Out.”
As Coulier revealed to Buzzfeed back in 2014, “I told him, ‘I’m going to steal that. I’m going to use that someday.’ And he said, ‘Ah, you can’t steal that.’ So I starred on a show on Nickelodeon called Out of Control and it became my hook on the show. And when Full House started, I just brought it over and it stuck.”
Former CIA director and US defense secretary, Leon Panetta, has predicted that when sworn in, Donald Trump, will give Israeli Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank check” in the Middle East, possibly opening the way for all-out war between Israel and Iran.
According to him, the President-elect, who defeated the Democrats’ Kamala Harris to win the presidential election this week, and will take office again in January, would give Israel his blessing on every move.
“With regards to the Middle East, I think he’s basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check,” he said via the Guardian, UK.
“‘Whatever you do, whatever you want to do, whoever you want to go after, you have my blessing.’ I mean, he basically said that [before the election].”
Netanyahu has overseen attacks on Iran and its assets as part of a growing conflagration since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October last year.
He and the US president-elect were reported to have spoken during the US election campaign.
Netanyahu congratulated Trump on Wednesday after Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris was confirmed.
The National Examinations Council on Monday released the results of the 2024 SSCE external examination.
PUNCH Online confirms that the result is now accessible online.
NECO announced the release of the results of the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination, with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, made this known while briefing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger State.
A message on the NECO website disclosed that a token is required for checking results and can be used a maximum of five times.
“This is to inform the general public that henceforth our result checker token will be used to check a candidate’s result once (up to five times); i.e., you cannot use another token to check the same result again. Any further checks (of the same result) would require the use of the NECO E-Verify result verification portal to verify/confirm such results,” it read.
The new online results system offers a convenient way to check all NECO examination results.
Once the results are released, they will be made available via the NECO results system.
Using NECO Results, candidates can check their SSCE, BECE, and NCEE results by purchasing tokens.
The token(s) can be shared with candidates, parents, schools, organisations, or any person who wishes to view the candidates’ results.
In this report, PUNCH Online highlights the step-by-step guide to checking the 2024 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination results.
Before You Begin – Ensure You Have the Following:
- Your NECO Examination Number
- The Examination Year
- A valid email address
- A NECO Result Checking Scratch Card (purchase details will be provided below)
Step 1: Purchase Your NECO Result Checking Token
Before you can access your results, you need to purchase a NECO Result Checking Token. This token replaces the scratch card system previously used.
You can buy the token online through the NECO Results website: https://result.neco.gov.ng.
- Go to https://result.neco.gov.ng.
- Click on ‘Purchase Token’.
If you already have an account, log in with your email and password. If not, you’ll need to create an account by clicking on ‘Register’ and filling in your details.
Once logged in, click on ‘Purchase Token’ again and follow the prompts to make your payment.
You can pay with your debit card. After payment, your token will be made available under your account’s ‘My Tokens’ section.
Step 2: Access the NECO Result Checking Portal
- With your token ready, you’re set to check your results.
- Navigate to the NECO Result Checking Portal at https://result.neco.gov.ng.
- Here, you’ll be greeted with a form to fill out.
Step 3: Enter Your Exam Details
Carefully input the required details in the form:
- Select the Exam Year, e.g., 2023.
- Choose the Exam Type, such as SSCE Internal (JUN/JUL) or SSCE External (NOV/DEC), depending on which you participated in.
- Enter your Token Number (this is the token you purchased earlier).
- Type in your Examination/Registration Number in the specified field.
- Click on the “Check My Result” button.
The Nigeria Police Force has highlighted the potential benefits of the Electronic Central Motor Registry innovation aimed at revolutionising how vehicle information is verified and handled on the road.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, shared the development through a series of social media posts on Thursday, highlighting the ease and efficiency of the “e-policing” innovation.
Adejobi said under the leadership of Inspector-General Olukayode Egbetokun, the Electronic Central Motor Registry system has been launched to make roads safer and the policing process smoother.
The FPRO said this new system allows vehicle owners to register their vehicles digitally and provides a quick response for emergencies.
“If your vehicle is registered with the NPF E-CMR and gets stolen, you can instantly flag it as stolen through your online profile,” the statement read.
He said the system then alerts all field officers nationwide within seconds, improving the chances of swift recovery.
He also highlighted that one of the benefits of the E-CMR is the removal of paperwork.
“No more stopping to check papers—our officers are equipped with cutting-edge tech to verify documents in real-time,” one of the tweets read.
“With the NPF’s new E-CMR system, you don’t need to carry around physical documents. Access all your vehicle info digitally—quick, easy, and secure,” it added.
PUNCH Online reported in July 2024 that the IGP ordered the enforcement of the digitalised Central Motor Registry.
He said the move was to modernise and digitize the motor vehicle registration system, and improve the nation’s safety and security framework.
The police expect a digitalized system to bring greater convenience and speed to vehicle ownership transactions through streamlined documentation and verification.
Adejobi had in June said the E-CMR system would simplify vehicle-related services such as ownership transfers, license renewals, and updates to engine or chassis details.
He stated that it would also help prevent the sale of stolen vehicles and improve recovery efforts.
In this interview with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI, Archbishop of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi, comments on NAFDAC’s stance on the ‘miracle water’ saga, criticising those who claim spiritual immunity from regulation. He also addresses the growing discontent among Northern elites towards President Tinubu’s administration and highlights the political undercurrents threatening the country’s unity
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control recently sealed a ‘miracle water’ factory in Delta State. However, some bishops have criticised the agency, insisting it doesn’t have the right to regulate spiritual products. What is your take on this?
Many people are just being religiously crazy. Whatever people consume and which is meant for the public should get NAFDAC’s attention and approval. There is nothing like miracle water. Even if the water comes from heaven, as long as it has to do with the health and well-being of the general masses, there is nothing miraculous about it.
So, it should have NAFDAC’s confirmation and pass through the agency’s inspection process to ensure that it is safe for public consumption.
There is nothing like miracle water, miracle soap, or miracle anything. It is just nonsense.
As for the bishops that protested, that should be the case only if the water is meant solely for their family members.
There won’t be a problem with that because you can drink whatever you want and harm yourself in any way through it. But if the so-called spiritual item is subject to public use and members of the public are patronising it, I think NAFDAC should not hesitate to inspect the item and where it is being produced to confirm its suitability for public use, even if it is called a miracle something.
Don’t forget that when Jesus Christ healed the lepers, He asked them to go and see the doctors in the temple to confirm that the healing was real.
And they went. And one of them later came back to thank Jesus. So, I don’t see anything wrong with NAFDAC approving any spiritual item.
Even if you conduct a miraculous healing, a doctor should assess the person to confirm that they have truly been healed.
I think people have suspended their reasoning because of religion, and society should help them correct it.
So, are you saying that spiritual items should be subjected to medical tests and scientific verification?
Yes. No miracle produces oil. No miracle produces soap. God cannot come down and produce soap or any other item. They are produced by a company and sanctified in the name of the Lord for use. And then we call it miracle this and miracle that.
But if NAFDAC reaches out to verify the authenticity and safety of the spiritual product, let them go ahead and do it.
Let the factory producing the so-called spiritual item be licensed and the items produced confirmed safe for human consumption. So, those saying such things shouldn’t happen because it is spiritually related are simply talking rubbish.
Let everybody allow NAFDAC to do their job, and after the agency has confirmed it, they can go ahead and call it all kinds of miracle items.
For some time now, key ethnic groups and politicians from the North have been slamming President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of appointing his kinsmen to major security positions. Looking at the appointments made so far by the president, do you think the allegation is correct?
It is definitely not correct, especially given that the president has been accused of running a kind of lopsided government that favours the South over the North. I believe that President Tinubu has been fair enough. As far as his administration is concerned, right from the start, he has carried the Northern people along, and he has been fair in his appointments and the distribution of political positions. Though some people feel that the president has been trying to put Southerners in most positions, thereby marginalising other sections of the country, if you look critically at all the appointments he has made, you will discover that where you find a Southerner, you will definitely see a Northerner.
It’s just that the Northerners want to take all the key positions, just like when Muhammadu Buhari was in power and they held all the important positions in the country, including within the Central Bank of Nigeria. But we should not continue with such a tradition.
We need competence over ethnicity. We need technocrats and capable people who have the knowledge to handle certain things that will help the country. We are all Nigerians, and we should see ourselves as the same.
It will not be helpful if we allow sectionalism to prevail in the country. If a president is there, let him be allowed to use his discretion to appoint people who have the competence to handle certain things, whether they are from the North or the South, as long as those people will work and deliver.
So, I don’t think the claims from our Northern brothers are right. But I am not surprised, because that has always been the case in the country. And that is why most of the country’s past presidents are accused of favouritism and nepotism by people from other regions outside their own.
Remember that when Buhari was there, people said the same thing. I think we all have to accept that only a leader knows the best hands that can help his administration.
Does it then mean that a president can’t truly be fair and unbiased by placing competence over ethnicity in his appointments?
Listening to unnecessary complaints will not help, and a leader should stand his ground to know the best hands he wants to use. So, Tinubu should not listen to whoever is complaining because his appointments have been for the good of the nation. And if the people he has appointed are qualified and competent, I don’t think listening to anybody from any part of the country who tries to criticise and use political gimmicks just to derail his administration is right. So, the president should continue what he is doing and deliver. I think that is the best approach.
Are you saying that the North is not important for the president to consider their complaints?
No, there is no part of the country that is not important because we are all important stakeholders, whether from the North, East, South, or West. So, I think if there is a need to look into certain things where complaints arise, the president should listen, but not to the detriment of the administration, because some people are being orchestrated politically to derail Tinubu’s leadership and make him fail by not delivering on his promises, so they can then come forward to say he is not competent to handle the situations of the country.
If you observe, there has been a gathering of some Northern elders and meetings with other high-profile political personalities. Remember that there was a time when they met with Buhari and other eminent political leaders. Though the outcome of the meetings has not been published, we can conjecture that there is a kind of gang-up. And naturally, such things happen. It happened during Jonathan’s time too. It also occurred during Buhari’s reign. So, it can happen to any president. It is always a political game.
But can Tinubu still win back the aggrieved Northern groups ahead of 2027?
It depends because when it comes to politics, only insiders can understand the way it works. I remember that during the APC presidential primaries in 2023, some core NEF elders stood against him because they wanted another Northerner to come in. It has been observed that in this country, whenever the North is not in power, the people from the region do not usually rest because they believe that they should hold power from time to time.
Even when Goodluck Jonathan was there, they did everything to undermine his administration. They vowed that until they took the power back, the country would not see peace. But I believe this cannot help the country because we have to be together as a nation. So, I think they (Northerners) should accept every leader and his administration. And if there is any grievance, they should come to the roundtable and discuss it. But ahead of 2027, I believe the political issue will resolve itself.
How do you think Tinubu’s camp can counter the various moves by Northern elements ahead of 2027?
Politicians know how they play their games, and if any Northern political heavyweights are doing that, it will be just to threaten Tinubu and make him look their way so as to fall to their whims and caprices.
It is simply a way to tell the president, “We are here, give us attention.” But let them continue to gather. After all, this won’t be the first time they will be doing that against a sitting president. Even politicians in other regions can gather and meet. But when the election comes, they will have a way of playing themselves. So, it is all a political game.
Are you saying the various meetings of the Northern political heavyweights may not necessarily have any effect in 2027?
Yes, it will have no effect at all. This is because these same people will still come back to the president and realign. That is how politicians run their affairs in this country.
We have seen how politicians who vowed never to leave the Peoples Democratic Party later left to join the All Progressives Congress when the party came into power. And if tomorrow, the PDP comes back to the centre, you will see some of the same politicians going back to the party to claim positions. So, it’s part of the political game and doesn’t really portend any threat or serious danger.
Do you think the majority of Nigerians are receiving the dividends of democracy under Tinubu’s administration, considering how difficult things have been since he took office?
Honestly, I cannot deceive myself, and nobody is going to be deceived. Everybody knows that things are hard, and indeed, things are very hard. But it depends on the situation the current administration found on the ground. There are things that only insiders can understand, which those on the surface level may likely not comprehend. But I know that Tinubu won’t sit back and allow things to get worse. I think he is also struggling and trying to ensure that we overcome the current dilemma and challenges. I believe he means well for the nation, but the situation on the ground has not been helpful. It’s a sorry case.
Do you think there is anything positive that Nigerians can point to in Tinubu’s administration?
When something happens, especially with issues like subsidy removal that has caused the escalation of food prices and other general costs in the country, it may blind people from seeing any good thing in Tinubu’s administration. But when you look at it with a positive eye, there are many good things in the administration. However, the petrol price increase and scarcity of the product have overshadowed the other good things that Tinubu’s administration has achieved.
You said the administration has achieved many good things since coming into power. Can you mention some of them?
Well, we can say that despite the crisis here and there, the president has been able to maintain peace in the country. As a leader, it becomes a great achievement when your country is at peace despite far-reaching crises. But to the man on the street, it will be very hard to point to any tangible achievement of the administration as of now because what ordinary Nigerians want is food, shelter, good roads, and quality education.
The subsidy removal and high costs of things have taken away all the benefits that the man on the street can enjoy in our democracy. If you are talking about policies that are good in the administration, but none of them produce the necessities I’ve mentioned, nobody will see any good thing to point to in the government’s performance. But there are still some good things. The government has tried to provide some items to cushion the effects of its policies, but some people have not helped the matter. The Federal Government can release things for distribution, but the items often don’t reach the right people. Things like that have not helped the situation.
You mentioned peace as a positive of this administration, but killings and kidnappings continue in various parts of the country. Just this week, 37 victims of Boko Haram were given a mass burial in Yobe State. Can a country experiencing such incidents really be called peaceful?
Yes. The fact is these pockets of incidents happen all over the world, and they’ve been happening long before Tinubu’s administration. Remember the Chibok girls’ abduction and other high-profile kidnap cases. You cannot completely eradicate such occurrences, as they happen everywhere. Killings happen in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other places. So, we can say Tinubu is creating an environment of peace by managing the current situation well so that the country doesn’t fall apart. You know, there are many regional agitations. People want to dismember the country and go their separate ways. But the president has been able to manage these agitations effectively, which is why we are experiencing at least a measure of peace in the country.
The NNPCL recently increased the pump price of fuel. Don’t you think it will worsen the hardship in the country?
I agree with you. I read it in the news, and I felt so bad. I recently went to Oyo State and bought fuel at N950 per litre. It made me feel terrible. Then, as I was travelling back the following day, I heard in the news that the price of fuel might go beyond N1,000 per litre, and I felt even weaker. Something has to be done quickly to stop this; otherwise, it will become unbearable for the people.
In this interview with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI, Archbishop of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi, comments on NAFDAC’s stance on the ‘miracle water’ saga, criticising those who claim spiritual immunity from regulation. He also addresses the growing discontent among Northern elites towards President Tinubu’s administration and highlights the political undercurrents threatening the country’s unity
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control recently sealed a ‘miracle water’ factory in Delta State. However, some bishops have criticised the agency, insisting it doesn’t have the right to regulate spiritual products. What is your take on this?
Many people are just being religiously crazy. Whatever people consume and which is meant for the public should get NAFDAC’s attention and approval. There is nothing like miracle water. Even if the water comes from heaven, as long as it has to do with the health and well-being of the general masses, there is nothing miraculous about it.
So, it should have NAFDAC’s confirmation and pass through the agency’s inspection process to ensure that it is safe for public consumption.
There is nothing like miracle water, miracle soap, or miracle anything. It is just nonsense.
As for the bishops that protested, that should be the case only if the water is meant solely for their family members.
There won’t be a problem with that because you can drink whatever you want and harm yourself in any way through it. But if the so-called spiritual item is subject to public use and members of the public are patronising it, I think NAFDAC should not hesitate to inspect the item and where it is being produced to confirm its suitability for public use, even if it is called a miracle something.
Don’t forget that when Jesus Christ healed the lepers, He asked them to go and see the doctors in the temple to confirm that the healing was real.
And they went. And one of them later came back to thank Jesus. So, I don’t see anything wrong with NAFDAC approving any spiritual item.
Even if you conduct a miraculous healing, a doctor should assess the person to confirm that they have truly been healed.
I think people have suspended their reasoning because of religion, and society should help them correct it.
So, are you saying that spiritual items should be subjected to medical tests and scientific verification?
Yes. No miracle produces oil. No miracle produces soap. God cannot come down and produce soap or any other item. They are produced by a company and sanctified in the name of the Lord for use. And then we call it miracle this and miracle that.
But if NAFDAC reaches out to verify the authenticity and safety of the spiritual product, let them go ahead and do it.
Let the factory producing the so-called spiritual item be licensed and the items produced confirmed safe for human consumption. So, those saying such things shouldn’t happen because it is spiritually related are simply talking rubbish.
Let everybody allow NAFDAC to do their job, and after the agency has confirmed it, they can go ahead and call it all kinds of miracle items.
For some time now, key ethnic groups and politicians from the North have been slamming President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of appointing his kinsmen to major security positions. Looking at the appointments made so far by the president, do you think the allegation is correct?
It is definitely not correct, especially given that the president has been accused of running a kind of lopsided government that favours the South over the North. I believe that President Tinubu has been fair enough. As far as his administration is concerned, right from the start, he has carried the Northern people along, and he has been fair in his appointments and the distribution of political positions. Though some people feel that the president has been trying to put Southerners in most positions, thereby marginalising other sections of the country, if you look critically at all the appointments he has made, you will discover that where you find a Southerner, you will definitely see a Northerner.
It’s just that the Northerners want to take all the key positions, just like when Muhammadu Buhari was in power and they held all the important positions in the country, including within the Central Bank of Nigeria. But we should not continue with such a tradition.
We need competence over ethnicity. We need technocrats and capable people who have the knowledge to handle certain things that will help the country. We are all Nigerians, and we should see ourselves as the same.
It will not be helpful if we allow sectionalism to prevail in the country. If a president is there, let him be allowed to use his discretion to appoint people who have the competence to handle certain things, whether they are from the North or the South, as long as those people will work and deliver.
So, I don’t think the claims from our Northern brothers are right. But I am not surprised, because that has always been the case in the country. And that is why most of the country’s past presidents are accused of favouritism and nepotism by people from other regions outside their own.
Remember that when Buhari was there, people said the same thing. I think we all have to accept that only a leader knows the best hands that can help his administration.
Does it then mean that a president can’t truly be fair and unbiased by placing competence over ethnicity in his appointments?
Listening to unnecessary complaints will not help, and a leader should stand his ground to know the best hands he wants to use. So, Tinubu should not listen to whoever is complaining because his appointments have been for the good of the nation. And if the people he has appointed are qualified and competent, I don’t think listening to anybody from any part of the country who tries to criticise and use political gimmicks just to derail his administration is right. So, the president should continue what he is doing and deliver. I think that is the best approach.
Are you saying that the North is not important for the president to consider their complaints?
No, there is no part of the country that is not important because we are all important stakeholders, whether from the North, East, South, or West. So, I think if there is a need to look into certain things where complaints arise, the president should listen, but not to the detriment of the administration, because some people are being orchestrated politically to derail Tinubu’s leadership and make him fail by not delivering on his promises, so they can then come forward to say he is not competent to handle the situations of the country.
If you observe, there has been a gathering of some Northern elders and meetings with other high-profile political personalities. Remember that there was a time when they met with Buhari and other eminent political leaders. Though the outcome of the meetings has not been published, we can conjecture that there is a kind of gang-up. And naturally, such things happen. It happened during Jonathan’s time too. It also occurred during Buhari’s reign. So, it can happen to any president. It is always a political game.
But can Tinubu still win back the aggrieved Northern groups ahead of 2027?
It depends because when it comes to politics, only insiders can understand the way it works. I remember that during the APC presidential primaries in 2023, some core NEF elders stood against him because they wanted another Northerner to come in. It has been observed that in this country, whenever the North is not in power, the people from the region do not usually rest because they believe that they should hold power from time to time.
Even when Goodluck Jonathan was there, they did everything to undermine his administration. They vowed that until they took the power back, the country would not see peace. But I believe this cannot help the country because we have to be together as a nation. So, I think they (Northerners) should accept every leader and his administration. And if there is any grievance, they should come to the roundtable and discuss it. But ahead of 2027, I believe the political issue will resolve itself.
How do you think Tinubu’s camp can counter the various moves by Northern elements ahead of 2027?
Politicians know how they play their games, and if any Northern political heavyweights are doing that, it will be just to threaten Tinubu and make him look their way so as to fall to their whims and caprices.
It is simply a way to tell the president, “We are here, give us attention.” But let them continue to gather. After all, this won’t be the first time they will be doing that against a sitting president. Even politicians in other regions can gather and meet. But when the election comes, they will have a way of playing themselves. So, it is all a political game.
Are you saying the various meetings of the Northern political heavyweights may not necessarily have any effect in 2027?
Yes, it will have no effect at all. This is because these same people will still come back to the president and realign. That is how politicians run their affairs in this country.
We have seen how politicians who vowed never to leave the Peoples Democratic Party later left to join the All Progressives Congress when the party came into power. And if tomorrow, the PDP comes back to the centre, you will see some of the same politicians going back to the party to claim positions. So, it’s part of the political game and doesn’t really portend any threat or serious danger.
Do you think the majority of Nigerians are receiving the dividends of democracy under Tinubu’s administration, considering how difficult things have been since he took office?
Honestly, I cannot deceive myself, and nobody is going to be deceived. Everybody knows that things are hard, and indeed, things are very hard. But it depends on the situation the current administration found on the ground. There are things that only insiders can understand, which those on the surface level may likely not comprehend. But I know that Tinubu won’t sit back and allow things to get worse. I think he is also struggling and trying to ensure that we overcome the current dilemma and challenges. I believe he means well for the nation, but the situation on the ground has not been helpful. It’s a sorry case.
Do you think there is anything positive that Nigerians can point to in Tinubu’s administration?
When something happens, especially with issues like subsidy removal that has caused the escalation of food prices and other general costs in the country, it may blind people from seeing any good thing in Tinubu’s administration. But when you look at it with a positive eye, there are many good things in the administration. However, the petrol price increase and scarcity of the product have overshadowed the other good things that Tinubu’s administration has achieved.
You said the administration has achieved many good things since coming into power. Can you mention some of them?
Well, we can say that despite the crisis here and there, the president has been able to maintain peace in the country. As a leader, it becomes a great achievement when your country is at peace despite far-reaching crises. But to the man on the street, it will be very hard to point to any tangible achievement of the administration as of now because what ordinary Nigerians want is food, shelter, good roads, and quality education.
The subsidy removal and high costs of things have taken away all the benefits that the man on the street can enjoy in our democracy. If you are talking about policies that are good in the administration, but none of them produce the necessities I’ve mentioned, nobody will see any good thing to point to in the government’s performance. But there are still some good things. The government has tried to provide some items to cushion the effects of its policies, but some people have not helped the matter. The Federal Government can release things for distribution, but the items often don’t reach the right people. Things like that have not helped the situation.
You mentioned peace as a positive of this administration, but killings and kidnappings continue in various parts of the country. Just this week, 37 victims of Boko Haram were given a mass burial in Yobe State. Can a country experiencing such incidents really be called peaceful?
Yes. The fact is these pockets of incidents happen all over the world, and they’ve been happening long before Tinubu’s administration. Remember the Chibok girls’ abduction and other high-profile kidnap cases. You cannot completely eradicate such occurrences, as they happen everywhere. Killings happen in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other places. So, we can say Tinubu is creating an environment of peace by managing the current situation well so that the country doesn’t fall apart. You know, there are many regional agitations. People want to dismember the country and go their separate ways. But the president has been able to manage these agitations effectively, which is why we are experiencing at least a measure of peace in the country.
The NNPCL recently increased the pump price of fuel. Don’t you think it will worsen the hardship in the country?
I agree with you. I read it in the news, and I felt so bad. I recently went to Oyo State and bought fuel at N950 per litre. It made me feel terrible. Then, as I was travelling back the following day, I heard in the news that the price of fuel might go beyond N1,000 per litre, and I felt even weaker. Something has to be done quickly to stop this; otherwise, it will become unbearable for the people.
Recently, the executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, said that the country needs an additional 194,876 qualified teachers to fill the existing gaps in the basic education sector. He also disclosed that at the primary school level, the nation needs 907,769 new classrooms and 200,085 new classrooms at the Junior Secondary School level, making it a total of 1,107,854 classrooms required at the basic education level.
Speaking at a one-day partnership meeting/dialogue with the organised private sector on the implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in Lagos, Bobboyi blamed state governments for not prioritising teachers’ professional development despite collecting 10 per cent of the UBEC grant for this purpose. In Nigeria, pre-primary education, primary education, and lower secondary education, otherwise known as Junior Secondary School (JSS), together are called basic education.
The findings revealed in the latest report from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) are disturbing to us as a newspaper. Previously, on this page, we expressed our concern regarding the dearth of teachers in the nation’s education system, yet the situation is lamentably not improving.
More disconcerting, in our view, are the stark disparities uncovered by the latest UBEC report. The report shows that the early childhood care and development education (ECCDE) and junior secondary school levels appear to have an excess of teachers, while the primary school level is severely understaffed. This is even true for certain rural primary schools, which have as few as two or three teachers serving the entire student population.
The report rightly noted that this inadequate supply of primary-level teachers is a key contributor to the broader learning poverty afflicting basic education in Nigeria. Sadly, the factors underlying this teacher shortage are all too familiar. This skewed distribution is symptomatic of deeper systemic problems that have long plagued Nigeria’s education sector.
We observed that many state governments have simply not recruited new teachers for years, thereby allowing attrition through retirement and other means to erode the teaching workforce. This, combined with the ongoing “japa” syndrome that sees talented teachers leaving the profession for greener pastures, has created a perfect storm of understaffing.
In addition, the poor welfare and working conditions of teachers in Nigeria have long been a source of frustration, driving away many qualified individuals from entering and remaining in the teaching field.
We recall that during last year’s celebration of World Teacher’s Day, the national president underscored the gravity of the situation when he rightly asserted that effective teaching and learning cannot occur when there is a severe shortage of teachers.
This newspaper believes that education is the bedrock of societal progress and economic prosperity, and teachers are the linchpins of this foundational pillar. They are not mere instructors but mentors, guides, and nurturers of young minds – the very individuals entrusted with shaping the nation’s future leaders.
For us, Nigeria’s dearth of primary school teachers is a crisis that can no longer be ignored. It strikes at the heart of the country’s efforts to provide quality education for all and break the cycle of poverty and inequality.
The time has come for the government, in collaboration with stakeholders, to take decisive action to address this crisis and ensure that every Nigerian child has access to the education they deserve.
We, therefore, call on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prioritise the swift and comprehensive implementation of policies and incentives aimed at revitalising the teaching profession.
Concerted efforts must also be made to improve teachers’ welfare and working conditions, ensuring that the profession is seen as a viable and attractive career path for the best and brightest minds.
Beyond this, state governments must also shoulder their fair share of the responsibility. They must urgently embark on aggressive teacher recruitment drives to fill the gaping vacancies in primary schools, especially in rural and underserved areas.
For us, the future of Nigeria’s children, and indeed, the nation’s future, depends on the success of this endeavour. By investing in the primary education sector and empowering our teachers, we can unlock the immense potential of our young people and pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous Nigeria.
The refrain against employment in the states is the paucity of funds. While the governments are striving to overcome this challenge, they would be well-advised to look inward for a ready pool of teaching staff to draw from. The governments should bite the bullet and send all trained teachers who abandoned their calling to push files in offices back to the classrooms. The Kano state government tried it, and the firmament did not fall upon us.