MODELS AND THE PROSTITUTION PERCEPTIONS IN AFRICA

A lot of young girls in Africa, who are naturally endowed with all super model physique attributes, have in the quest to becoming a model been discouraged, stooped or stigmatized by the wrong perception of the public that models are prostitutes.

Truly speaking, as a young model, if your parents disagree with you from becoming a model in Africa its better you obey. You can’t be a successful model if your parents are totally against your choice of becoming a model.

Major reasons parents and the African society give as to the PROSTITUTION picturesque they perceive of a model is to the fact that they showcase pants and bras and other almost naked fashion clothing, which to them is a shameless act! Whenever we have a passionate young model that is highly endowed and is facing any form of hindrances at home, my wife and I always take our time to go counsel such parents.

The major reason why I am writing this piece is to enlighten the African parents and the society at large that MODELS ARE NOT PROSTITUTES and surprisingly the reverse is the case!

What the African society do not know is the fact that models have the highest moral expectations in the entertainment industry worldwide. How do I mean?

1.       Any model that is having moral issues in the society can’t be used as a face for any brand, it’s unlike other sectors like movie, and music industry.

2.       A known model that has stained character will be rejected by fashion designers.  People will not respect the product such model is advertising base on the fact that the model has stained character.

3.       You hardly come across super models marrying and divorcing, but it’s so common in other entertainment sector. There are some endorsement that a model will lost if marital issues arises, e,g tiger Woods.

4.       Some of the world biggest lingerie models got married as virgins! Meaning, its not the pants and bras they showcase that matters but their day to day lifestyle.

I can go and on and on to point to the fact that “MODELS AIN’T PROSTITUTES”, stop judging models by their job. They are mannequin who showcases products for the world to see.  Modeling is a career and an enviable one for that matter.

 Finally, dear models it’s your duty to protect the career you so loved by improving on your character and personality. Learn how to say ‘NO’ to immoral acts from any agency, photographer, cast directors, fashion designers etc who wants you to do what your mama said you shouldn’t do. If you are good you are good, jobs will pursue you no matter what!

-          Okanlawon Tijjani ( C.E.O Onyx Modelz)

      Twitter: @onyxmodelzng

      Instagram: @onyxmodel

      Facebook: @onyxmodelzng

Freight forwarders (NAGAFF) Threatened legal Action If Hamid Ali Wears Uniform

Freight forwarders under the aegis of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has threatened to seek legal option if the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Alli (Rtd) bows to pressure from the Senate and appears in Customs uniform.
According to a statement dated March 20 and signed by the association’s management, the association stated that Col. Alli is not in a position to assume the character of an officer of the service as stated under Section 10 of CEMA Cap C 45 of 2004 as amended.
“The ongoing controversy involving the Comptroller-General of Customs Rtd. Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali and the Nigerian Senate is avoidable because the Presidential mandate was specific and unambiguous.  The CGC was directed to reform, restructure and enhance revenue collection duty of the service.
“The time frame is within four years of the administration’s tenure or less under the circumstance because he is neither a commissioned Customs officer nor a Sole Administrator in a democratic government.  He is not in a position to assume the character of an officer of the service as stated under Section 10 of CEMA Cap C 45 of 2004 as amended.
“To be a proper officer of the Nigeria Customs you must be properly appointed in line with the Civil Service Rules. You must undergo a mandatory training programme and issued with a service number.  These are conditions that must exist before the question of character can be alluded to.  Since we know that Ali’s appointment is a political appointment that was made by Mr President in line with Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, for him to go and carry-out a specific mandate of restructuring, reforming and enhance the revenue collection of the Nigeria Customs Service.  To us he was only sent to the Nigeria Customs Service for a special assignment.  He is by this appointment not a career Customs officer that should be made to wear the uniform.
“Ali is correct for not wearing the Customs uniform and equally Mr President was right for not appointing him as a Sole Administrator in a democratic government.  As an Association which believes in the sanctity of the law, especially court ruling, if Ali wears the Customs uniform, NAGAFF may approach the court to stop him from an act of unlawful assumption of character of an officer of the Service.
“Our locus shall be drawn from Section 154 of CEMA Cap C45 of 2004 as amended, The real issue before the stakeholders is to examine and determine whether Ali is doing his job as directed by Mr President to reform, restructure and enhance revenue collection duty of the service.


Related Story:  Hamid Alli dared NASS, arrived at plenary in Mufty... http://eupdateng.blogspot.com/2017/03/breaking-hamid-alli-dared-nass-arrived.html?spref=tw …

Nigeria naira at six-month high on black market

Nigeria's central bank sold the dollar at a weaker rate on Wednesday, traders say, in an effort to boost liquidity on the official market and narrow the naira's spread at the black market.
The central bank has been intervening on the official market to try to narrow the currency spread with the black market rate, which was 520 to the dollar a month ago.
The bank sold $1.5 million on Wednesday at 307.75, weaker than the 307.50 it intervened previous session. It has weakened the currency by 0.6 percent in the past two weeks.
On the black market, the naira gained 4.9 percent to a seven-month high of 410 per dollar as individuals rush to sell the U.S. currency.
"The regular intervention by the central bank has increased liquidity in the official market. The new policy has also eliminated spurious demand for the dollar," Aminu Gwadabe, the head of Nigeria's exchange bureaus, told Reuters.
Speculators betting on a naira fall "are taking a risk and will lose," central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele said on Tuesday. He added that he expects the black market rates to narrow further.
On Wednesday, the cost of insuring Nigerian debt against default fell to its lowest since December 2016, with five-year credit default swaps dropping to 603 bps, down 9 bps from Tuesday's close, according to data from IHS Markit.
"We see the naira stabilising around 380-400 to the dollar, but the central bank must review the multiplicity of rates to restore confidence in the market," Gwadabe said.
In February the bank devalued the naira for private individuals, saying it will sell dollars to them at 375 per dollar, a 20 percent margin from the official rate and half the premium obtained at the black market.
The move has left the West African nation with at least five exchange rates - the official one, a rate for Muslim pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia, the one for school fees abroad and a retail rate set by licensed exchange bureaus at 399.

France Election: Macron Projected to Win First Round Of Presidential Election

Centrist Emmanuel Macron is projected to come out on top in the first round of France's presidential election next month ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen before going on to win in a runoff, a Harris Interactive poll showed on Thursday.
Macron was seen winning 26 percent of the vote in the April 23 first round followed by Le Pen on 25 percent, according to the poll for France Televisions.
Both scores were unchanged from the last time the poll was carried out two weeks ago, even though it was carried out after the two traded barbs in a televised debate on Monday involving all the main candidates.
Conservative candidate Francois Fillon saw his score slip to 18 percent of the first round vote from 20 percent as he struggles to limit the damage from a series of financial scandals.
Meanwhile, far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon saw his share of the vote rise to 13.5 percent, surpassing for the first time the score for the ruling Socialists candidate Benoit Hamon at 12.5 percent.
Macron was seen winning the presidency by beating Le Pen in the May 7 runoff with 65 percent of the vote to 35 percent for the National Front leader, unchanged from two weeks ago.
The poll was conducted on March 21-22 among 6,383 voters.

Breaking: Hamid Alli dared NASS, arrived at plenary in mufty

THE Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali, rtd has arrived the National Assembly without wearing the complete Customs Uniform as directed by the Senate where he would appear before the Senators at the Chambers soon.
Ali who arrived at around 9.30 am, went straight to the office of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

He was led to the office by the Senoir Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters(Senate), Senator Ita Enang. Ali who dressed in white Cafta, white cap and black shoes to match, went to Enang’s office at 10.36am shortly after Ekweremadu and other principal officers entered the chambers. In his address, there is the insignia of EFCC and that of Customs. Enang also dressed in white. shunned the invitation by the Senate that he should appear before it yesterday in complete Uniform to explain the agency’s earlier planned policy on duty on vehicles and other recent acts of the Customs. It would be recalled that the Senate yesterday mandated the NCS boss to appear before it today at 10am and explain why he has refused to honour the invitation of the upper chambers to come and explain his action on the implementation of the controversial policy The decision of the Senate yesterday followed a motion by Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East who relied on Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria( as amended) and seconded by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. According to the Senate, the action taken could have been avoided if each institution has respect for the other and that it is an indication that no body is above the law., just as it stressed that government was not about making money, but about the welfare of the people, adding that the Upper chambers must move against anyone or institution that tries to rubbish the Upper chambers as an institution. It would be recalled that for shunning the directives of the Senate that the Customs should suspend the proposed vehicle duty ultimatum due to begin on April 12, the Senate had on Tuesday openly declared war by summoning the Comptroller -General to appear before it yesterday.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/breaking-customs-comptroller-general-ali-enters-nass-without-customs-uniform/

He was led to the office by the Senoir Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters(Senate), Senator Ita Enang.
Ali who dressed in white Cafta, white cap and black shoes to match, went to Enang’s office at 10.36am shortly after Ekweremadu and other principal officers entered the chambers. In his address, there is the insignia of EFCC and that of Customs.
Enang also dressed in white. shunned the invitation by the Senate that he should appear before it yesterday in complete Uniform to explain the agency’s earlier planned policy on duty on vehicles and other recent acts of the Customs.
It would be recalled that the Senate yesterday mandated the NCS boss to appear before it today at 10am and explain why he has refused to honour the invitation of the upper chambers to come and explain his action on the implementation of the controversial policy
The decision of the Senate yesterday followed a motion by Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East who relied on Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria( as amended) and seconded by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
According to the Senate, the action taken could have been avoided if each institution has respect for the other and that it is an indication that no body is above the law., just as it stressed that government was not about making money, but about the welfare of the people, adding that the Upper chambers must move against anyone or institution that tries to rubbish the Upper chambers as an institution.
It would be recalled that for shunning the directives of the Senate that the Customs should suspend the proposed vehicle duty ultimatum due to begin on April 12, the Senate had on Tuesday openly declared war by summoning the Comptroller -General to appear before it yesterday.



Related Story:

Nigeria Customs bowed to pressure suspends Payment of Import Duties on Old Vehicle http://eupdateng.blogspot.com/2017/03/nigeria-customs-bowed-to-pressure.html?spref=tw …

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Magu's Rejection: Falana faults NASS & SSS, offers legal options for Presidency

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has described the  rejection of the nomination of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as a ridicule to the office of the President.
Falana said in a statement on Wednesday that the Senate’s rejection of Magu on the basis of a security report compiled by the State Security Service “is the height of official ridicule of the office of the President.”
He said, “It is high time the State Security Service  was restrained by President Buhari from sabotaging the fight against corruption by the federal government.”
He said the Senate’s proceedings during which Magu was hurriedly screened was illegal as some persons either being prosecuted or investigated particiated in the proceedings.
He said, “With respect to the Senate the confirmation hearing hurriedly conducted today is illegal in every material particular.
“The participation of many senators who are either under investigation or being prosecuted by the EFCC has vitiated the entire proceedings of the Senate on ground of conflict of interest. It is also a contravention of the Rules of the Senate which stipulates that matters which are sub judice shall not be discussed by the Senate.”
He said there were three options open to Buhari as far as the EFCC chairman was concerned.
Falana said, “However, notwithstanding the rejection of the nomination of Mr. Magu by the Senate the options open to President are clear and straight forward. They are as follows:
“1. Mr. Magu’s nomination may be re-presented to the Senate if and when the Federal Government decides to put its house in order
“2. Alternatively,  the President may allow Mr. Magu to remain the Acting Chairman of the EFCC since he was  appointed in that capacity pursuant to section 171 of the Constitution.
“3. But if the President is not satisfied with Mr. Magu’s performance he is at liberty to appoint another person whose nomination will be forwarded to the Senate in accordance with section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
“In the light of the foregoing, President Buhari is enjoined to ensure that the fight against corruption is not derailed by highly placed corrupt elements who have enlisted the support of fifth columnists and reactionary forces in the government.”

Nigeria Customs bowed to pressure suspends Payment of Import Duties on Old Vehicle

The Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday announced the suspension of the implementation of the payment of import duties on old vehicles.

The suspension is in compliance with an earlier directive by the Senate that the policy, which has generated controversies, should be suspended.

A statement by the Acting Public Relations Officer, NCS, Mr. Joseph Attah, stated that suspension of the policy would remain until the service got the support of the lawmakers in carrying out the exercise.

The statement read in part,  “Following the unnecessary tension generated as a result of the misconception and misrepresentation of the Nigeria Customs Service’s planned motor duty payment, the leadership of the National Assembly and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) met with a view to resolving the impasse.

“They both agreed that the proposed motor duty payment, though in line with the provision of the Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C.45, LFN 2004 should be put on hold while the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise interfaces with the NCS for further discussions.

“While payment of duty on vehicles or indeed any dutiable imported item remains a civic responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian, the NCS management has directed that the exercise be put on hold, while expressing readiness to engage the Senate committee on further discussions to bring them on board to understand the importance of the exercise to national security and economy.”

Meanwhile, the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria has called for the reduction in the duty levies and tariffs on imported vehicles.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the AMDON President, Bola Adedoyin, noted that the current levies and duties being paid on imported vehicles had made such vehicles too expensive for Nigerians.

He said, “We wish to inform the public that what we should be clamouring for is a general consensus for the reduction of duty tariff and levies, which is not the making of the Nigeria Customs Service, but rather an unpopular policy of the National Automotive Development Council tagged the automotive policy.

“This policy is what brought us to this position we are now. All in an effort to make imported fairly-used vehicles, popularly called Tokunbo, unaffordable, thereby forcing Nigerians to patronise the unaffordable assembled vehicles in Nigeria.”

He added the move by NCS to collaborate with Federal Inland Revenue Service among other agencies on enforcement of the Vehicle Identification Number would eventually block the registration of all vehicles on whose duties were not paid in the near future.

“AMDON is working on automation of all members to eventually interface with the NCS so that potential vehicles buyers will have the opportunity to verify the authenticity of duty payment before purchase, which will be through the AMDON automated verification stickers,” Adedoyin added.

Credit: [ PunchNG]

CAF Election: 70year old Issa Hayatou Faces rare challenge

Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou will face a rare challenge on Thursday as he stands for an eighth term at the helm of the African game when CAF hold their Congress in the Ethiopian capital.
Ahmad, a Madagascan government minister who uses a single name, will contest Thursday's vote and is only the third challenger Hayatou has faced since he became CAF president in 1988.
The other opponents Armando Machado of Angola in 2000 and Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana in 2004 were roundly beaten but Ahmad is the first to have received expressions of support from among CAF member countries, including the grouping of 14 southern African countries (COSAFA) and Nigeria.
Hayatou and his opponent have waged a lively election campaign over the last two months, featuring an unusually high number of public pronouncements for a process that is traditionally played out behind closed doors.
The 70-year-old Hayatou, who also serves as FIFA’s senior vice president and is from Cameroon, promises continuity while Ahmad says it is time for change.
“Basically, what we all want is a change in leadership, in the system, and in how we manage the Confederation," he said in an interview.
"We live in a time of transformation. The majority of federation presidents have changed. There are many more young people than before.”
The Madagascar Football Federation president said he was confident of support, even though only COSAFA and Nigeria have so far gone public.
“Others won’t say it publicly. I know that and I respect their position."
The election for the CAF president is followed by elections for seven of the 15 places on the organisation’s executive committee.
Then there will be a tightly run contest for Africa’s seven places on the new-look FIFA Council, the all powerful cabinet that runs the world game

Photos & Videos Of President Muhammadu Buhari's Arrival on the 10th of March

While in UK, Buhari and Most Reverend and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The President Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was away from Official duties for 50 days due to medical challenges.
Two weeks after his departure to the UK, foremost Leaders in the opposition party speculated that President Buhari was reportedly dead in a London hospital. Nigerians were quick to believe in the rumours owing to the fact that a similar occurrence took place in 2010 when the then late Yaradua was presumed dead but his aides rebuffed the news. The then Yaradua's aides were able to keep the factual information from the over 170million Nigerians for months.
Against this background millions of Nigerians refused to believe that President Buhari was alive even afte his arrival on the 10th of March, 2017. Many still believed in the opposition information that the President was dead.
We were in Kaduna on Friday 10th March when Buhari arrived and we can empirically announce here that President Buhari surely and physically arrived the country at exactly 7,41am.

Below are some photographs taken from the Kaduna Airforce Base strip.

President Buhari on Arrival to Nigeria in Kaduna

Buhari's first touch on Nigeria soil after 50 days of medical vacation in London

VP Osinbanjo welcoming President Buhari at the Aso Rock Helipad

aso rock

wife of the President and grand child of Mr. President shortly after his arrival at the Villa

Wife of the President Aisha Buhari welcoming Mr. President while VP and wife looks on

President Buhari greeting Governors shortly before an official meeting

President Buhari addressing the Governors at the Villa

Jumaat prayers at the Villa with Senate President

Video

https://twitter.com/d_problemsolver/status/840145825418305538


Related Story: President Buhari arrives Nigeria Friday Morning 10th March at Kaduna Airport... http://eupdateng.blogspot.com/2017/03/president-buhari-arrives-nigeria-400am.html?spref=tw …

President Buhari arrives Nigeria Friday 10th at Kaduna Airport

President Muhammadu Buhari will arrive the country Friday, 51 days after he left the country on a medical vacation.

Owing to the closure of the Abuja airport, his plane was scheduled to land at the Kaduna airport in the wee hours of Friday, following which he was to be flown by helicopter to the President Villa, Abuja.

The sources also revealed that the president might address the nation Friday after his long absence, in order to quell any concerns over his capacity to govern.
The news of his return Friday was broken last night in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina.

Adesina recalled that the president left the shores of the country on January 19 for a vacation, during which he was scheduled to undergo routine medical check-ups.
He said the scheduled vacation was however extended due to the advice by his doctors that he undergoes further medical tests.

According to him, the president expressed gratitude to the generality of Nigerians in all parts of the country and beyond who supported him in their prayers and good wishes while he was away.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to return to the country tomorrow, Friday March 10, 2017. The President left the country on January 19, 2017 for a vacation, during which he had routine medical check-ups.

“The holiday was extended based on doctors’ recommendation for further tests and rest.
“President Buhari expresses appreciation to teeming Nigerians from across the country and beyond, who had prayed fervently for him and also sent their good wishes,” the statement said.

Earlier Thursday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev. Justin Welby, had paid a visit to Buhari in Abuja House, London where the president had resided throughout his medical vacation.

The president, who announced Welby’s visit on his Facebook page, said he was pleased to receive the archbishop, whom he described as his friend.
“Very pleased to welcome my friend, the Most Rev. Hon. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury,” the president had said.

Other than his doctors, Welby was possibly the first non-Nigerian citizen to visit the president in London since January 19 when he left the country.

Last month, the president was visited by numerous Nigerians including two leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande.
He had earlier been visited by the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and Senator Daisy Danjuma.

He was also visited on February 23 by a National Assembly team led by Senate President Bukola Saraki. Also in the team was the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

The visit was made days after both Saraki and Dogara had disclosed that they had telephone conversations with Buhari.
While Saraki said he called Buhari, Dogara said the president had called him and discussed issues affecting the welfare of Nigerians with him.

The president left the country on January 19, 2017, four days earlier than scheduled, stating that he would return on February 6 to resume duty.
But on February 5, the presidency announced the extension of his vacation indefinitely, saying the president was waiting for the results of the medical tests and needed to be certified okay by his doctors before leaving London.

Since then, speculations have been rife over the president’s health.
Indeed, even before the presidency informed the public of the extension of Buhari’s vacation, there were rumours that he had died in the UK.
All these proved to be untrue after the presidency released proof of life photographs of the president and his visitors.

Source: [ThisdayNG]

Church Should Consider Allowing Married Men to Be Priests - Pope Francis

Pope Francis says the Roman Catholic Church should start considering whether to let married men serve as priests in order to address a shortage of clergy, especially in remote areas.
In an interview with Germany's Die Zeit magazine, Francis said: "We must think about whether viri probati [married men of proven religious faith] are a possibility. Then we have to decide what tasks they can take on — for example, in remote communities."
Francis said allowing would-be priests to decide whether they wanted to remain celibate was not something he favored, but he suggested that was an issue for further discussion.
Many Roman Catholics believe that opening a new path to ordination for married men would help address the shortage of clergy in many parts of the world. Certain limited exceptions to the law of celibacy exist: The Vatican accepts married priests in Eastern Rite sects of the church, and it also has recognized married members of the Anglican or Episcopal churches who convert to Catholicism as valid priests.
The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, whose members serve in American parishes, welcomed the pope's thoughts as expressed in the article published Thursday.
In his first major interview with a German publication, Francis also was asked whether he ever doubted the existence of God, even briefly. "I, too, know moments of emptiness," he responded.
The pope noted that such periods of crisis enable spiritual growth, and he added that he would think any believer who does not experience such moments of doubt has an "infantile" religious faith.
Francis spoke out strongly against the rise of populism in the West, as he has in the past. "Populism is evil and and ends badly, as the past century showed," Die Zeit quoted him as saying, in an apparent reference to fascism and Soviet communism.


Source: [VOAAfrica]

Fadumo Dayib, Somali Female Presidential Hopeful defies critics and threats

Casting her bright yellow scarf over her golden Somali "dirac" gown, Fadumo Dayib speaks in a hushed tone.
But as the first woman to run for president in Somalia, she means to be heard.
"The more I get threats, the more I get insults ... the more I'm convinced that I'm doing the right thing," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation at a conference in London.
Dayib knows about hardship. She was born in a refugee camp in Kenya, and her mother lost 11 of her siblings - all to preventable diseases. Her family and millions of others were forced back to Somalia, before they fled civil war to Finland.
She learnt to read and write only as a teenager and now boasts degrees from Harvard University and the University of Helsinki.
After a long international career in public health, Dayib decided to enter the Somali political fray in 2014, ruffling feathers as she did so.
"They really know that if I were to come into office I would make a change," said Dayib, who has received death threats and ridicule from critics in Somalia and among the diaspora.
A fragile country shattered by more than two decades of conflict, Somalia is grappling with huge issues from famine and drought to al Shabaab militants.
Dayib did not succeed in her quest to win the presidency. She dropped out of the race, and Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo" Mohamed, a dual U.S.-Somali citizen and former prime minister, was elected president on Feb 8., in a process in which around 14,000 clan elders and traditional leaders chose lawmakers, who then selected the president.
The new president has yet to confirm his cabinet.
"I'm not in it," Dayib said, despite rumours that she may be appointed to a leading role, such as foreign minister.
She said there had been progress in the acceptance of women in Somalia's male-dominated politics.
"Initially there was a lot of resistance and a lot of negativity but now even when I see Somalis on the street the first thing they do is call me 'madam president' - from being laughed at in 2014," said Dayib. "We've come a long way."
Despite quitting the presidential race, citing bribery and corruption pressures, Dayib thinks that simply declaring her candidacy instigated a movement among Somali women, who are engaging with politics and demanding rights.
Somalia has nearly hit its ambitious 30 percent quota for female representation in parliament, with 28 percent of lawmakers now women, said Dayib.
The trend is rapidly spreading across Africa too, she said.
"African women have always had informal leadership," she said, adding that now women were seeking formal recognition of their roles.
"African women don't talk, they act."
Exuding a quiet confidence, Dayib is focused on the future.
"I'm going to run, I'm going to be in politics and I'm going to be even more vocal than I have been," she said.
"I'm here to stay."




Source: [ReuterAfrica]

BITCOIN: Crypto Currency Organizes Seminar In Zaria, Kaduna State

 

 

Bitcoin is gradually becoming the new Digital Money, against all odds the new currency is sweeping minefields and its here in Nigeria.
Coordinators of 'Crypto Currency' is organizing a seminar in Zaria, Kaduna State as a medium of awareness and sensitization. The seminar is expected to hold in the ancient city of Zaria, on Saturday 4th March.
for more info call the cell phone numbers on the above banner.

The Oscars Award 2017: Full List of Nominees and Winners

The Academy Awards, or "Oscars", is a group of artistic and technical honors given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence in cinematic 
A quick recap: "La La Land" was the top nominee, notching a record-tying 14 nominations. "Moonlight" and "Arrival" followed with eight nods each.
Already, Mahershala Ali won for his role in 'Moonlight.' His win comes after back-to-back years in which  the academy did not recognize any nonwhite actors. This year, each of the four acting categories feature at least one nominee of color.

Best supporting actor

WINNER: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)
Dev Patel (Lion)
Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Best makeup and hairstyling

A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
WINNER: Suicide Squad

Best costume design

Allied
WINNER: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

Best documentary

Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
WINNER: OJ: Made in America
13th

Best sound editing

WINNER: Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully

Best sound mixing

Arrival
WINNER: Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
13 Hours

Best supporting actress

WINNER: Viola Davis (Fences)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Nicole Kidman (Lion)
Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Best foreign language film

Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove
WINNER: The Salesman
Tanna
Toni Erdmann

Best animated short

Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
WINNER: Piper

Best animated feature

Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
WINNER: Zootopia

Best production design

Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
WINNER: La La Land
Passengers

Best visual effects

Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
WINNER: The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best film editing

Arrival
WINNER: Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight

Best documentary short

4.1 Miles
Extremis
Joe’s Violin
Watani: My Homeland
WINNER: The White Helmets

Best live-action short

Ennemis Interieurs
La Femme et le TGV
Silent Nights
WINNER: Sing
Timecode

Best cinematography

Arrival
WINNER: La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence

Best score

Jackie
WINNER: La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers

Best song

Audition (La La Land)
Can’t Stop the Feeling! (Trolls)
WINNER: City of Stars (La La Land)
The Empty Chair (Jim: The James Foley Story)
How Far I’ll Go (Moana)

Best original screenplay

Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
WINNER: Manchester by the Sea
20th Century Women

Best adapted screenplay

Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
WINNER: Moonlight

Best director

Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
WINNER: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Best actor

WINNER: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best actress

Isabelle Huppert (Elle)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
WINNER: Emma Stone (La La Land)
Natalie Portman (Jackie)
Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Best picture

Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
WINNER: Moonlight

2017 GLOBAL ELECTION CALENDAR

Country	Type of Election	Date of Election	Status
Albania	Parliament of Albania	6/18/2017	Confirmed
Algeria		Nov-17
Angola		Aug-17
Armenia	National Assembly	4/2/2017	Confirmed
Bermuda	House of Assembly	1/29/2017	Date not confirmed
Bulgaria	Parliamentary republic	Bulgarian parliamentary election, 2017
Cayman Islands	Legislative Assembly	5/24/2017	Confirmed
Chile		Nov-17
Czech Republic	Parliamentary republic	Oct-17
Ecuador	President	4/2/2017	Second Round if needed
Ecuador	National Congress	2/19/2017	Confirmed
France	National Assembly of France	6/18/2017	Second Round if needed
France	National Assembly of France	6/11/2017	Confirmed
France	President of France	5/7/2017	Second Round if needed
France	President of France	4/23/2017	Confirmed
Gambia, The	National Assembly	4/6/2017	Confirmed
Germany	Parliamentary republic	Sep-17
Iran	President	5/19/2017	Confirmed
Kenya		8-Aug-17
Liechtenstein	Parliament	2/5/2017	Confirmed
Luxembourg	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Oct-17
Micronesia	Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia	3/7/2017	Confirmed
Mongolia		Jun-17
Netherlands	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Mar-17
New Zealand		2017
Niue	Niue Assembly	3/4/2017	Confirmed
Norway	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Sep-17
Papua New Guinea	National Parliament of Papua New Guinea	6/24/2017	Confirmed
PS, PRG
Rwanda	President	8/4/2017	Confirmed
Senegal	National Assembly	7/2/2017	Confirmed
Serbia	President	4/9/2017	Confirmed
Serbia	Parliamentary republic	May-17
Sierra Leone		Nov-17
Turkmenistan	President	2/12/2017	Confirmed

Saraki: Prosecution Witness Contradicts statements at the CCT

 The Code Of Conduct Tribunal prosecuting the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on false asset declaration has been told that it is lawful for the Senate President to own shares in companies like any other public officers in the country as allowed by law.

A prosecution witness in the trial, Mr. Samuel Madojemu, told the tribunal that Saraki as a former governor of Kwara State, was not prevented by any law from owning shares in any company while he was the Kwara State Governor.

Under cross-examination by Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN) who is a counsel to Saraki, the witness who is the Head of Investigation at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), admitted that public officers were allowed to own shares in companies in addition to owning farms for agricultural purposes.

The witness told the tribunal that there was no law in the country at the moment that forbids public officers from having even majority or controlling shares in any company.

Specifically, the witness said the Senate President has the right to own shares in any company that trades in Rice and sugar commodities and any other materials.

Under further cross-examination, Madojemu said he never asked the senate president during investigation on whether he had shares in any company trading in rice and sugar or nut.
The witness also admitted that he did not see any audited account of any company linked to Saraki who was accused of false asset declaration by the federal government.

The senate president is charged with 18-count further amended charges and had denied any wrong doing.
The prosecution witness had earlier testified that Saraki in one of his asset forms claimed to have acquired properties at No. 15a and 17 a Macdonald Street Ikoyi Lagos from proceeds of rice and sugar commodities.

According to him engaging personally in rice and sugar commodities business is unlawful for any public officer.

The witness also said contrary to his averment in his asset declaration form, the senate president did not acquire the said properties from the Presidential Committee on sales of federal government properties, but from another company G & C real estate property and investment company.

However, under cross-examination, the witness claimed that he did not know the year the senate president assumed office as governor of Kwara State and that he never met the senate president in person before he became governor.

As the Head of Investigation unit of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the witness admitted that he never treated any letter from the Senate President to the CCB and that he had no knowledge of Saraki’s handwriting other than the one on his asset declaration form.

The witness said most of the documents tendered as exhibits were obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives and not by his own team.
He recalled that on September 14, 2015, he swore to an affidavit at the CCT and that he knew that the affidavit was going to be used by the federal government to file the present charge against the senate president.

He added that at the time he made the affidavit he was aware that it must be truthful in facts and contents and that he stood by the truthfulness of the affidavit.

However, when his attention was drawn to his claim that the senate president returned four asset forms to the CCB as against the seven tendered by the prosecution, the witness admitted contradictions and also agreed that four asset forms and seven asset forms were not the same.
Trial has been adjourned to continue on March 2.

Source: [ ThisdayNG]

Why VP Osinbanjo refuses to Assent to Four Bills Passed By The Legislators

The Senate has said it will consult with its legal team for advice on the decision of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to withhold assent to four bills passed by the National Assembly.

The bills are Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016, National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2016, Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment) Bill 2016, and the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) (Amendment) Bill 2016.

In the four letters sent to the Senate, dated February 7, 2017, the Acting President gave various reasons for his decision “Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the Constitution.”

On the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment) Bill 2016, Osinbajo said, “The reasons for withholding assent to the bill are the concerns surrounding board composition, funding arrangements, limitation of liability of funds, and proposals to increase levels of un-collaterised loans from N5,000 to N250,000.”

For withholding asset to the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) (Amendment) Bill 2016, the Acting President said, “The rationale for withholding assent to the bill is the concern regarding modalities for the communication of asset forfeiture orders.”

Osinbajo also said the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 could not be assented to, saying, “The rationale for withholding assent to the bill are the concerns regarding certain words and phrases utilised in the draft bill that may be inconsistent with the Principal Act (for example, Section 6 of the bill with Section 21 of the Principal Act) and the spirit behind the proposed amendments.”

Also, the Acting President said he withheld assent to the National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2016 due to “the existence of pending legal challenge to the competence of the National Assembly to legislate on the subject matter.”

After the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, read Osinbajo’s letters to senators at plenary on Wednesday, Senator Dino Melaye, who sponsored the National Lottery (Amendment) Bill, raised a point of order and dismissed the Acting President’s reason for not assenting to it.

Citing Section 4 of the constitution, the senator described the court process and the decision by Osinbajo as against the principle of separation of powers.

Melaye said, “Mr. President, the explanation for withholding the assent as stipulated in the letter by the Acting President is because there is a pending litigation on this matter. Mr. President, democracy is standing on the basic principles of separation of powers and it has divided this into three; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

“Mr. President, the role of the executive is to carry out its fundamental objective by signing anything that has been passed by this House and anyone who has a problem with it can go to court in compliance with the provisions of Section 6 of the constitution. May it not be a bad day for democracy if we keep quiet and allow the powers of the legislature to be usurped by the non-compliance to the provisions of the constitution.”

Saraki, in his response, said the chamber would seek legal advice on the matter as it had to do with separation of powers.

He said, “I think the procedure is that we will refer this (issue) to our legal department to give us advice on interpretation on some of the things that you have said, for us to be properly guided. But, I agree with you that it is a matter that we must take seriously because it goes down to the issue of separation of powers. We would get the opinion of the legal department.”

But Senator George Sekibo, rose up to say that the National Assembly had the powers to override the veto of the President.

He said, “The way the constitution is framed, they have their own roles to play and we have our own role to play. We check each other. I know that the matter is in court and based on our rules, we cannot discuss it; it is a different thing. But if it is just that the President did not give assent, we have to look at the merit of the particular bill if it meets the standards and if the court matter is not going to impede what we are going to do. Then, we can override the veto of the President.”

Again, Saraki stated that the issue should be referred to the legal department for interpretation and counsel.

Osinbajo had last week assented to seven bills passed by the legislature.

Source: [PunchNG]