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Cristiano Ronaldo’s growing respect for Islamic culture have sparked discussions about the possibility of him converting to Islam.
Former Al-Nassr goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah recently shared insights into the Portuguese superstar’s interest in Islamic practices.
During an interview with Morocco World News, Abdullah highlighted moments that suggest Ronaldo’s affinity for Islam.
He stated that the former Real Madrid star pauses training sessions for prayer and prostrating on the field after scoring goals.
“I spoke to him about it, and he expressed interest,” Abdullah revealed. “He always encourages players to pray and respects Islamic customs deeply.”
Ronaldo’s admiration for Islamic culture seems to extend beyond gestures.
Abdullah noted that the player actively puts efforts to understand the religion and consistently respects his Muslim teammates.
“When the call to prayer sounds during training, Ronaldo asks the coach to pause the session until it’s finished,” Abdullah added.
“His kindness and humility have endeared him to his teammates and fans alike.”
Despite the speculation, Ronaldo has not made any public statement about converting to Islam.
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the recent conversion of some structures housing the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan as unacceptable.
The party made this declaration via a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday.
The statement was signed by APC Publicity Secretary Wasiu Olawale Sadare.
DAILY POST learnt that some structures at the headquarters of the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan, which houses a library and other public utilities have been converted into shops.
APC in its reaction, condemned the action.
The party in the statement described the action of the state government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, as not only shameful and ill-conceived but also grossly unacceptable.
The party while speaking further, wondered why a government will turn a library into shops.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures and the implication of this is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by the same administration which has refused to address the issue of poor reading culture among young students.
“Without mincing words, the word ‘library’ is now strange to many students in public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State because the government does not care to build such facilities or fix the existing ones, which require good attention.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money and thereby subject the entire society to the danger of illiteracy and ignorance?”
The outgoing government of Governor Godwin Obaseki has denied the claim by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that the government is converting political appointees into full time civil servants.
DAILY POST recalls that Prince Kassim Afegbua, a chieftain and member of the APC transition committee had in a statement alleged that the outgoing government of Obaseki was converting political appointees to full time civil servants.
Afegbua opined that the action of the government was geared towards overburdening the incoming government of the governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, with huge recurrent expenditure, when he (Obaseki) was aware that the state is already bogged down by huge debt burden.
Reacting on behalf of the state government, Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media and Project noted that employment into the Edo State Public Service since the onset of the outgoing administration has focused on serving the people.
According to him: “We are unfortunately seeing a disturbing trend from the APC even before they assume government position.
“They have started making spurious claims that the state is overburdened by debt and are now threatening that they will sack workers.
“In his recent statement, Kassim Afegbua, a member of the transition committee threatened that they are ready to cut down the number of workers engaged in Edo State because they need more money to themselves.
“This is evidently a sign of the level of thinking in the APC, where all they care about is what gets into their pocket and not what is best for Edo State.
“The comments about the government employing workers was misguided noting that Government started engaging new workers across various spectrum of governance over six years ago, a fact that can be confirmed by civil servants in the state.
“So it is disingenuous to start claiming at this last minute that the government is now just only employing new workers to set traps for the new government.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has reacted to the long queue at the CNG conversion center along Airport Road, Abuja.
The conversion center located along Airport Road is run by NIPCO filling stations in conjunction with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) and EPP Gas.
There have been complaints of a shortage of gas at the station, with vehicles forming a very long, unattended queue.
The minister, while addressing the press on the issue, assured that the government is equal to the task, adding that his ministry would address the problem in no time.
“It came to my knowledge yesterday that we’re having a long queue along Airport Road at NIPCO. That project is privately driven with the NNPC. So, I’ve written a letter to EPP Gas to come and explain why we’re having a long queue,” he said.
“When I was commissioning the CNG at those stations, there were supposed to be 12, which means they should be functional. So I can assure you that after today’s meeting with NNPC and EPP Gas, we’ll be able to address it.
“There’s availability of gas. It may be the lack of infrastructure, as we mentioned. We have to try as much as possible to provide the infrastructure for the delivery of gas. What we produce in our country is more than enough.”
He added, “The President has given a charge on CNG. We’re well aware that the President set up a presidential committee on CNG to drive the CNG project. As a Minister, we’ve been supervising what has been going on there.
“It’s left for us to inform the general public that CNG has come to stay. We have to take that route because CNG is cheaper and protects the environment. The President has talked about converting most of the filling stations across the country to CNG stations.
“It is important to know that when you’re using CNG, you save a lot of money.”
The Commissioner for Transport in Cross River State, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham has confirmed that his ministry will begin to convert commercial vehicles from fossil fuel usage to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, next week.
The state commenced the conversion processes two weeks ago.
He said the conversion became imperative due to the high costs of transportation in the state, following the hike in the price of fuel.
Cobham said the cost of a four-capacity gas cylinder will go for about N800,000, for instance, at the minimum, depending on cylinder capacity.
In an interview, Cobham disclosed that the government is meeting with commercial banks to sign an agreement on credit facilities for those who may not readily afford the high cost of the conversion.
He stated that the government will deliberately ensure that all commercial vehicles are encouraged to convert, adding that the benefits are far-reaching as transport costs will drastically reduce.
“Next week, we shall commence the conversion of commercial vehicles. This will be deliberate. Such converted vehicles will bear a mark for commuters to identify them. We shall strictly monitor, enforce and ensure that they comply with regulated prices. This is because, after conversion to Natural Gas, they will fill the cylinder with no more than N3200 which can last many days. This is way cheaper than fossil fuel. And so the profit margin they’ll make will be substantial.”
Cobham insisted that there would be no excuse for the price of the CNG to fluctuate to cause the commercial vehicle operators to raise prices.
He disclosed that the state government is presently drafting a legal framework to regulate the CNG operations, warning sternly that they will not tolerate investors coming into the State with substandard cylinders for conversion purposes.
According to him, the government conversion centre in Calabar received the first set of 500 imported kits which are being spread around the state, saying these are the ones being used for the ongoing phase of conversions.
“It will be very wrong for operators to set up conversion centres in the state without meeting our standards, else, they’ll be shut down. There are safety processes in place. There are recommended gas tanks for the conversion to avoid any risks.”
Cobham also mentioned that the conversion experts will train the first set of 20 Cross River indigenes on the conversion processes, after which they will be training subsequent ones.
He went on to explain that after conversion, the vehicle can automatically switch back to fuel once gas reduces, maintaining that CNG will effortlessly force down prices of fuel as many will soon switch to gas.
The federal government has distributed free Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits and cylinders to companies for the conversion of vehicles of commercial transport operators in Abuja, Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa states.
The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGI) programme director, Michael Oluwagbemi, announced the provision of conversion kits and cylinders with free installation costs during the FCT CNG Conversion Mobilisation programme, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
According to him, the event commemorate the handover of critical materials especially kits and cylinders to our conversion centre partners who will be implementing the conversion incentive programme that President Bola Tinubu has declared will convert one million commercial vehicles free across Nigeria in the next two years.
He said the different unions especially the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Association of Transport Owners, NARTO as well as Rideshares will be participating in this conversion programme and nominating their members to be converted at this conversion workshop.
“The activity we are witnessing here today, which is the handover of these conversion kits and cylinders to various organisations, that will enable you to go to them and convert your vehicles so that it can run not just on petrol, but it can run on gas, and to do it for free, is a big step in that direction
“Mr. President has ensured, by working with NMDPRA, to keep concessionary pricing for gas for all two vehicles, will ensure that you are filling your vehicles at between N230 and N300 per kg. And when this happens, that means you have more profits, more passengers, because your customers will be enjoying cheaper costs of transportation, and that will mean a better life for you, your family, and for all Nigerians, Oluwagbemi said.
LEADERSHIP gathered that about 400 conversion kits were distributed to the commercial vehicle operators in the three states and the FCT.
On his part, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the NURTW and vice president of the ITF, Najeem Yassin said that the launch of the vehicle conversion programme in Abuja, aimed at reducing transportation costs across the region, followed successful initiatives in Kaduna and Lagos, and covers transporters in Abuja, Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa states.
Yassin emphasised the importance of this initiative, supported by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in making transportation more affordable by converting vehicles to use cheaper CNG instead of petrol, which currently costs around N800 per litre in some filling stations. He urged members to participate actively in this initiative for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Also speaking, executive secretary of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Aloga Ogbogo, commended the President’s initiative for a “one-stop shop” approach to address transportation issues, emphasising its multiplier effect on the economy. He noted that reducing petroleum prices could enhance workers’ salaries and lower costs for food and healthcare. Adoga commended the government’s commitment to alternative energy and urged patience from Nigerians, stating that significant improvements require time. He highlighted financial support for transporters, with each state receiving substantial aid, and encouraged ongoing hope for better conditions in the industry.
“If you are able to bring the price of petroleum down, you have increased the salary margin of the worker, you have also increased the operational cost of the transporter, you have also succeeded in reducing the prices of food, you have also succeeded in reducing the price of hospital bills, because transportation has a 100 per cent multiplier effect on the total economy. I urge Nigerians to be patient. A 1,000-kilometre journey starts with a step, he said.
The minister of steel development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, has revealed that the Ajaokuta Industrial Park was ready to host a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion plant.
Prince Audu, who disclosed this Thursday in
Abuja while receiving programme director/CEO, Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGi), Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, said a cardinal objective of President Bola Tinubu-led government is the CNG Initiative, which will cut down transportation cost by 40 per cent, following the removal of petrol subsidy.
The minister stated that the proposed Industrial Park in Ajaokuta was underway to drive the CNG initiative of President Tinubu.
Audu said: “Mr. President has given a mandate that he wants a minimum of one million CNG vehicles on the road by 2027. So, there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and everything that we need to partner with the Federal Government under the CNG initiative are available in Ajaokuta.
“One of the things we are also doing is the industrial park in Ajaokuta, where various categories of companies will be under the industrial park within Ajaokuta. So, the CNG park will be one of the many components of the soon-to-be Ajaokuta Industrial Park.
“Everything to actualise the CNG initiative and conversions are available in Ajaokuta, and so plugging in the CNG initiative is very viable; there is gas there, an engineering workshop is there, and a tools workshop to facilitate the construction or assembly of the kits is also there.
“Mr. President is indeed very excited about this initiative and the partnership between the Ministry and the P-CNGI, which drives the plans of industrialising Nigeria, diversifying and growing the economy, and creating jobs under the renewed initiatives.”
He commended Engr. Olugbemi for his effort towards actualising the CNG initiative.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, lauded the partnership between the Ministry and P-CNGI.
For his part, the P-CNGi CEO, Mr. Olugbemi, declared that the Steel Industry is an absolute necessity for the actualisation of the CNG initiative, adding that steel components are at the very heart of the project.
Olugbemi said that establishing the CNG park in Ajoakuta will be an evolution from importing some of the components to manufacturing them. This will address some of the challenges with transporting the CNG components into the country, he said.
“The journey with the Ministry of Steel Development was critical from day one, and Ajaokuta is a hub with access to raw materials. We have hit the ground running already and are optimistic about excellent collaborations with the Ministry,” Olugbemi said.
In his remarks, the Sole Administrator, Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, Engr. Sumaila Abdul-Akaba, said that the project was a welcome development to Ajaokuta, especially in the revival phase of the company.
He assured P-CNGI of the cooperation of the steel company in bringing to fruition the realszation of the CNG project.