Shocking revelation emerged on Wednesday why the board of the State Universal Basic Education Board was dissolved and former commissioner for Education, Ekpenisi Omorotiomwan sacked.

We have gathered that dead teachers including those that have retired, sacked or absconded from duty were still “collecting” salaries.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who made this disclosure at an education summit to find solution to the problem in primary education in the state, said he discovered that the wage bill for teachers in the state was static.

He said money for the salaries of retired teachers and those that died was not accounted for. The governor, who caused uproar in the hall when he announced that teachers were paid higher wages than their counterparts in the civil service threatened to publish the teachers’ salaries.

SHOCKING: Farmers Shun Fertilizers, Rely On Sacrifice For Land Fertility

Cultivating a fertile soil is certainly the secret to yielding a jumbo harvest by farmers. As such, fertilizer is overly used by all and sundry to enrich the soil for bumper harvest, but farmers in Kigbe, a community in Yebu ward of Kwali Area Council of the FCT make do with bumper harvest even without fertilizers.

The residents are among the few that cling to culture, which many communities have abandoned in the face of modernized farming.

While other farmers thronged for fertilizers to enhance their farm produce, all Kigbe farmers need do is to prepare a sacrifice of a duck fowl and pounded yam.

The traditional ruler of the community, Yusuf Adamu, who made this revelation to Aso Chronicle recently, said the cultural land fertility process was inherited from past generations. He stated further that the sacrifice is connected to a masquerade, ‘Gbunu’, noted for its power by the residents.

He said the sacrifice, usually carried out during rainy season, is done by a group of elders. According to him, the duck fowl will be slaughtered and the pounded yam prepared in a shrine. As part of rites, before the elders proceed to the shrine to slaughter the duck fowl, they appear half naked and trek to fetch a Fadama soil, which will be added to some concoction. Thereafter, they will proceed to the shrine to slaughter the duck fowl to appease the gods. The concoction is taken to a spot where two road paths meet.

The elders alongside the masquerade will now come back to the shrine and cook the duck fowl with a pounded yam at the shrine in which after some days, all the farm land in the community becomes fertile and suitable for farming.

“It is after the sacrifice you will see that all the farm land in this village becomes fertile as farmers will now go to cultivate their farms and at the end, we make a bumper harvest without bothering to go and look for fertilizer. Beside I can’t remember the year any farmer in this community set his eyes on fertilizer,” he said.

The traditional ruler, who also spoke on some of the challenges facing the people of the community, however identified lack of access to good road network as one of the major challenges especially on the abandoned Kwaita-Yebu road.

He said the Kwaita-Yebu road is one of the roads that link the community to many neighboring communities in both Kwali and Kuje area councils, but has been abandoned for years by the FCT administration under the satellite towns’ development department.

He called on the authorities of Kwali Area Council to come to the aid of the community.

Jonathan's Convoy In Nasarawa Auto Crash, 14 Injured

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Shehu, has on Tuesday confirmed that the convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan was involved in an auto crash the day before, leaving 14 persons injured.

According to the eyewitnesses, three confessional policemen, three mobile policemen, one member of the civil defence corps, as well as one official of the state branch of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and six civilians were "seriously injured".

Mr Shehu claimed the state government had since released funds for the treatment of all the victims. He added that some of the victims have been discharged but those who have serious fracture were still at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia.

According to him, the accident happened when the vehicle of a prison officer ran into the convoy of the president and collided with one of the riders, who somersaulted and thereafter ran into the crowd.

"They are all responding to treatment at the hospital. Some have fractures on their legs.

"The prison officer sustained minor injury. He is still in police custody while investigation is ongoing," he said.

It will be recalled that the president was in Lafia for the inauguration of the newly constructed Federal High Court and Ta'al Model School constructed by the present administration in the state.

He was represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

Rihanna Wins Her £3MILLION Legal Battle

Rihanna has won her High Court legal battle against fashion chain Topshop over T-shirts bearing her image. The singer sued the high-street store’s parent company Arcadia for £3.3million over the T-shirts, which featured a photo taken of the star during a video shoot in Northern Ireland in 2011.

Topshop had disputed the claim, but Mr Justice Birss today ruled in favour of the singer in the High Court after a hearing in London.

He said Topshop's sale of a Rihanna T-shirt had been an act of "passing off", and that a "substantial number" of customers were likely to have bought the T-shirt of a "false belief" that it had been authorised by the singer.

The judge added that was damaging to her "goodwill" and represented a loss of control of her reputation in the fashion sphere.

He said it was for the singer not Topshop to choose what garments the public thought had her endorsement.

Rihanna Wins Her £3MILLION Legal Battle

Rihanna has won her High Court legal battle against fashion chain Topshop over T-shirts bearing her image. The singer sued the high-street store’s parent company Arcadia for £3.3million over the T-shirts, which featured a photo taken of the star during a video shoot in Northern Ireland in 2011.

Topshop had disputed the claim, but Mr Justice Birss today ruled in favour of the singer in the High Court after a hearing in London.

He said Topshop's sale of a Rihanna T-shirt had been an act of "passing off", and that a "substantial number" of customers were likely to have bought the T-shirt of a "false belief" that it had been authorised by the singer.

The judge added that was damaging to her "goodwill" and represented a loss of control of her reputation in the fashion sphere.

He said it was for the singer not Topshop to choose what garments the public thought had her endorsement.

JayZ & Beyonce Visit KimK & North West, While Kanye Is Out to Milan

Power couple, JayZ and Beyonce, visited Kanye West’s daughter North West while daddy is in Milan.

Never too busy for friends! Beyonce and Jay Z took time out of their busy touring schedules to make a very important stop at Kris Jenner’s home in Calabasas, Calif. on Sunday, July 28, to pay a visit to Kim Kardashian and baby North West, a source confirms to Us Magazine.

Though best bud Kanye West wasn’t home at the time (the rapper is currently in Milan, Italy), both Jay and Bey spent the morning with Kardashian, 32, who has not been seen out in public since giving birth to her tiny bundle of joy on June 15.

That’s a very nice of them, and we are sure Kanye will really appreciate their visit

My Ex-Hubby Was Not Building Me Any House - Funke Akindele

And it gets messier as Funke Akindele and Ex Husband soil each other’s image in public. In a recent interview with Encomium magazine, Funke Akindele's ex husband, Keyinde Oloyede Almaroof, said that he was building a house for his wife before she ended the marriage.

Well Funke Akindele has sort of replied her husband's interview. Here is what she said...

In a recent interview with Encomium magazine, Funke Akindele's ex husband, Keyinde Oloyede Almaroof, said that he was building a house for his wife before she ended the marriage. He revealed that it's a one-storey building (uncompleted) located off Adeniji Jones in Ikeja, adding that the rejection of the building was one of he reasons for their split. READ IT HERE

 

in a revealing chat with E-247 magazine, Funke Akindele sort of replied her husband's interview...

Read what Funke told E24-7MAGAZINE after the cut:

 

- See more at: http://topeorekoya.blogspot.com/2013/07/funke-akindele-my-ex-hubby-was-not.html?showComment=1375257017398#sthash.aEqmBpFC.dpuf

In a recent interview with Encomium magazine, Funke Akindele's ex husband, Keyinde Oloyede Almaroof, said that he was building a house for his wife before she ended the marriage. He revealed that it's a one-storey building (uncompleted) located off Adeniji Jones in Ikeja, adding that the rejection of the building was one of he reasons for their split. READ IT HERE

 

in a revealing chat with E-247 magazine, Funke Akindele sort of replied her husband's interview...

Read what Funke told E24-7MAGAZINE after the cut:

 

- See more at: http://topeorekoya.blogspot.com/2013/07/funke-akindele-my-ex-hubby-was-not.html?showComment=1375257017398#sthash.aEqmBpFC.dpuf

That place is not for me, I have been through hell and back.

I was abused emotionally and verbally. Really, I felt we could work things out when the trouble started two months after the marriage.

But I made up my mind and shut the door of the marriage at him when the trouble was coming to me too much.

I stooped to conquer him; buried my fame and name to make him my husband, but it did not work. At a point in time, I asked if it’s not the same man that was all over me before we married.

He nearly got me off my career. He called me severally; I did not pick his calls but when he realized my silence was tormenting him, he took to Facebook.

It’s alright.

Ask him when did he come to my house last? He left me here in my rented apartment with nothing and he will just dash in and dash out. He gets abusive, caustic anytime we have a misunderstanding and often told me to my face, he’s going to his wife in Oshodi.

He sent me SMS that he has seen a buyer for his house at Adeniyi Jones for N40million. He asked me if he should sell it and that if he does, he will buy me a new car and a rent me a new apartment.

Why now? I don’t need all that, I want my sanity. I respect him to the end but he chose to treat me that way. He said he wanted to clip my wings.

After Funke ignored him, he sent her another text abusing her and calling her names.

ASUU Strike: Bear with Us, FG Urges Students, Parents

The Federal Government is anxious about the distortion in school calendar as a result of the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities saying that it is committed to the speedy resolution of the crisis for the sake of Nigerian students.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku told state House correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting that government was committed to “serious negotiations” with the university lecturers.

The Minister appealed to the students and parents to bear with government and show more understanding as efforts are being made to resolve the contending issues very soon.

 “The Federal Government has been far more worried than you think concerning the strike in tertiary institutions, because of the disruption of the school calendar and so government is concerned and very worried and since the onset of the strike government has been negotiating with ASUU through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Ministry of Education.

Eight-month-old Baby Sold Three Times Before Plateau Police Interrupted

Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police on Wednesday paraded four women suspected to have passed an eight-month-old baby among themselves in a serial sale starting with the baby's grandmother, who sold the baby to the first buyer.

While the baby's grandmother, Mrs. Kate Anwacha sold the baby for N200,000 to the first buyer named Eucharia Anyeagbu, she in turn sold the baby for N330,000 to a second buyer, Rita Madubuko, who also sold the baby at N500,000 to one Grace Nnadozie.

The State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe, while parading the suspects before newsmen in Jos Wednesday, said "the trafficked baby girl, Chiamaka Obinna was recovered a week ago, July 24, at Awka, Anambra State, through intelligence efforts of detectives from the 'A' Division of the Nigeria Police, Jos."

Olakpe explained further that the baby's grandmother, who had custody of her, sold her to the first buyer five days earlier, July 19, after sending the people around her on errands. 

FAAN Apologises To Oshiomhole Over Closure Of Benin Airport

Authorities of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has apologized to the Edo State Government and air travelers over the incident which led to the closure of the Benin Airport on Tuesday.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria Managing Director, Mr. George Uriesi who led other management staff which included Mr. Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Mr. Kolawole Adefomiwa, Deputy General Manager, Mr. Adeboye Festus, the Chief Security Officer and Mr. Ayodele Sunday, Airport Manager, Benin City said “we deeply regret the events of yesterday and we will like to find out how we can avoid a situation like this arising in the future, because it is neither in the interest of FAAN nor in the interest of Edo State Government for the Airport to be closed down, because there was a lot of hardship and serious economic consequences as a result of the shutdown and there is need to settle this matter.

“I want to assure Your Excellency that FAAN is a good corporate citizen, I am convinced that there was a misunderstanding and I want to get to the bottom of this misunderstanding so that it does not happen again.

“If we have any obligations, we will meet them, and I hope that in the future if there are issues of misunderstanding, we will be able to talk about them quickly without them leading to delays and inconveniences to the public.  So, sir we are here to reassure you of our respects and desire to be good corporate citizens and partner with the State Government to deliver services to the people of Edo State”.

In his response, Governor Oshiomhole noted that tax law was a federal law which the state Government is only trying to implement. He noted that the tax which FAAN defaulted on was the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) which even the President and Governors pay.

Oshiomhole said the State Board of Internal Revenue got a proper Court Order to seal the FAAN Manager’s Office, noting that the FAAN Manager on his own decided to seal up the Airport to gain public sympathy.

The Governor said the problem with Nigeria is not immunity, but impunity as people often violate the law and get away with it.

He insisted that anybody who works and lives in Edo State must pay tax in contribution to the development of the State.

The Governor said a way to avoid a re-occurrence of the ugly incident was for FAAN to comply with the law.

He however, expressed his displeasure with the FAAN Manager Benin Airport, Mr. Ayodele Sunday for dramatizing the issue, saying “I hope in future, this sort of thing does not happen”.

Fashola Picks Gbeleyi As New Finance Commissioner

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has nominated the Director-General of the State’s Office of Public – Private Partnerships (PPP), Mr. Ayodeji Gbeleyi as the new commissioner for finance.

If the nomination is approved by the House of Assembly, Gbeleyi will succeed Mr. Tokunbo Abiru who recently resigned from the State’s Cabinet.

Mr. Gbeleyi at the moment is Fashola’s Special Adviser on PPP, the agency driving the government collaboration with the private sector to tackle the state’s infrastructure challenge.

Gbeleyi is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA).

He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School, the London Business School, Lagos Business School and an MBA holder from the International Graduate School of Management, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain.

Fabricated or Not? Magazine Publishes the Photo that May Threaten Lionel Messi’s Marriage

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Lionel Messi, arguably the world’s best soccer player, may have to work on his off-the-field defense – at home – after two Argentine publications published photos showing the married soccer superstar gallivanting with an alleged stripper.

The Barcelona striker was allegedly pictured on the cover of Argentina’s Pronto magazine with a blonde dancer in a Las Vegas nightclub. In the photo, his hands were wrapped around her waist and his face was pressed against her chest.

The headline on Pronto read: “The Photo That Puts Lionel Messi’s Marriage At Risk.”

The magazine says the photos were taken during Messi’s visit to Sin City in early July as a guest at a party hosted by Brazilian legend Ronaldo at the Wynn Las Vegas & Encore Resort.

Pronto says the photos are not doctored, and were taken off a cell-phone.

The Argentine gossip publication said Messi’s relationship with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, 22, is now in ‘crisis,’ according to Pronto sources.

“There is nothing to suggest anything more happened (between Messi and the dancer) but still Antonella is furious,” the source tells Pronto. “She can’t believe he has been so stupid and feels very let down by Leo. Whether she’ll give him the red card or not remains to be seen but it’s fair to say the sofa at their home may be getting a lot of use at the moment.”

The photo is the latest scandal for Messi, one of the best soccer players of his generation.

Messi paid $13 million in back taxes to the Spanish government last month and is looking to settle an alleged $5 million debt that led to tax fraud accusations. The payments covered his image rights for 2010 and 2011, Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia reported. The Spanish paper suggested the player is looking to reach an agreement on millions more he allegedly owes the government.

The payment could help Messi and his father, Jorge, avoid a court appearance Sept. 17 in Gava. Father and son, along with their financial advisers, have denied accusations that they illegally funnelled money to offshore accounts to avert paying taxes. 

Online Commentator Arrested by Nigeria Police, on Behalf of Billionaire Emeka Offor, Released on Bail

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Boniface Okonkwo, a South Africa-based businessman who was seized and detained by the Nigeria Police for more than a week over an online comment he made regarding fraudulent Nigerian businessman and People's Democratic Party (PDP) big shot, Emeka Offor, has finally made bail.

Lawyers from Femi Falana chambers, who served as the defendant's attorney at a Magistrate court in Abuja, told the newsmen that Mr. Okonkwo was let out of police detention after they made a spirited defence of his liberty.

The Magistrate judge, Lamido Kabir, had initially played hide and seek in the case, letting the police detain Mr. Okonkwo over the weekend claiming he was unavailable to hear the case after the suspect was brought to court last Friday.

However, on Monday, the Magistrate gave stiff bail conditions requiring Mr. Okonkwo to provide two sureties, including a traditional ruler and a person with landed property in Abuja.

Yesterday, he was let go after meeting the bail conditions.

Mr. Okonkwo was arrested on July 13 by a dozen well-armed Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives in Lagos, just four days after arriving from South Africa.  Mr. Okonkwo's arrest reportedly emanated from the office of the Inspector General of Police office, who gave the order because of a petition penned by Offor who claimed that Okonkwo "criminally defamed" him in an online commentary in a community listserv of the Orafite community.

Okonkwo, who also hails from Oraifite community, criticized the billionaire for reportedly donating $1.3 million to Rotary International for polio eradication while Oraifite lacks basic amenities and the people suffer abject poverty.

Okonkwo was seized in Lagos but was later moved to a police cell on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria's federal capital. He was denied access to lawyers and relatives, and spent more than two weeks in detention.

Observers say the case demonstrates how Nigeria’s public institutions are often and routinely deployed by the rich by the rich and well-connected against the truth.