WE NEED A FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR ENTERTAINMENT - AY Comedian

Popular Nigerian comedian, AY (Ayo Makun) has urged the Federal Government to establish a separate Ministry for the entertainment industry in Nigeria. He made the call in a chat with Showtime People published today.

According to AY, it has become pertinent that a stronger focus be placed on the development of tourism potential of the country's entertainment industry as the nation marks 53 years of its independence.

"The entertainment industry is too big to be under the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Nollywood alone is a big industry and you also have to consider other arms of entertainment like

6 MESSED UP THINGS IN NIGERIA

Shame on Nigeria! This is a country that is abundantly blessed yet it cannot put itself together to harness its potentials

Let's quickly remind ourselves of the problems bedeviling our progress and development. Perhaps, we shall find ways of solving them.

On this note, I present to you the 6 totally messed up things in Nigeria:

#1. Government:

In Nigeria, the government is ironically supposed to serve the public, but it embarrasses the people with less than acceptable characters, embezzling chunks of public fund and giving crumbs to the hungry masses.

#2. Police:

Men of Nigerian Police Force indiscriminately harass citizens by regularly, shamelessly and forcefully demanding bribes; and by, unlawful detention and battery of citizens

#3. Multinational companies:
In Nigeria, foreigners are allowed the priceless luxury of exploiting the citizens. The foreign investor gets the greater pay while indigenous workers are belittled, mistreated and underpaid.

#4  Transportation:
Plying the roads in Nigeria  can be described as an experience that is below terrible. most of the roads are riddled with potholes, poor drainage channels, non-dualistic busy roads, perennial traffic jams and hold ups... urgggh! the list is endless.

#5. Security:
A day in the streets of the far North in Nigeria is the height of risk management a human being can assume with Boko Haram Extremists taking over villages and towns in daylight while the police watch in amusement and fear.

#6. ASUU
The leadership of ASUU seems to be drunk with the wine of chronic selfishness and unpleasant rigidity. They should remember that what happens to the undergraduates of today determines the condition of the present members of ASUU tomorrow when of course, they wouldn't be so powerful, because nothing lasts forever.

Let's stop ruining everything, but make efforts to get things right!

WHY PRESIDENT JONATHAN SACKED MINISTER OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Inuwa Abdulkadir

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir  as Minister of Youth Development.

In a statement signed today by Sam Nwaobasi, Media Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,it was stated the President’s directive takes immediate effect.

Abdul-kadir was ordered to hand over to the permanent secretary of the ministry.

President Goodluck Jonathan sacked Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir as Minister of Youth Development.

In a statement signed today by Sam Nwaobasi, Media Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,it was stated the President’s directive takes immediate effect.

Abdul-kadir was ordered to hand over to the permanent secretary of the ministry.

Although, the statement was silent on the reason for Mr. Abdul-Kadir’s sack, anonymous sources in the Presidency have said it might not be unconnected with Mr. Abdul-kadir serving as an interim official of a new political association, Voice of the People, VoP, floated by Mr. Wamakko and five other PDP governors ahead of 2015.

It has been gathered that the former minister may have been functioning as the protem secretary of the new group.

Various reports linked seven PDP governors- Chubuike Amaechi (Rivers), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Mr. Wamakko, all of who belong to the faction of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, chaired by Mr. Amaechi- with the new association.

The governors are believed to be opposed to the undeclared second term aspiration of Mr. Jonathan.

YOUNG NIGERIAN FEMALE INVENTS ELECTRICITY-GENERATING FOOTBALL

 

A young Harvard-trained Nigerian female, Jessica Matthews, has created and presented to President Goodluck Jonathan, an ‘electricity-generating football.’

Nigeria’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, who oversaw the presentation, praised the multi-functionality of the product, stating that it could also be used as a mobile phone.

“We are also looking at the possibilities of manufacturing it in Nigeria and see how we can make it cheaper in this country. I am glad that Jessica has also agreed to be one of our Ambassadors in terms of promoting entrepreneurship in our universities”, Aganga said.

Reacting to the presentation, President Jonathan commended her creative and multi-talented nature – given that she ventured into applied sciences despite her academic career being limited to social sciences including psychology and economics.

He also pinpointed that the choice to launch such a unique product in her home country is proof of her patriotism.

The invention should provide an alternative and more suitably cheaper means of sourcing for energy as we, Nigerians, continue to employ strategies in our bid to provide adequately power for both our business and domestic uses

STUDENTS PLAN NATION WIDE PROTEST AGAINST ASUU STRIKE

PLANS have been concluded by some Nigerian students to organize, beginning from Tuesday, a mass protest against the on-going ASUU strike aimed at highlighting the woes troubling public education in the country.

The planned protest organised by the Joint Action Front (JAF) will see protesting students in the South-West zone blocking all roads leading to Lagos State tomorrow.

According to JAF, the protests, which will kick off at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) office at Yaba, Lagos at 8 a.m., will also include zonal rallies in Kano, Ibadan, Owerri, Calabar, Abuja, among others.

JAF, has stated the aim of protesting is to draw attention to the bleak future that awaits Nigerian children due to the neglect of public education.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had, on July 2, declared an indefinite strike over unresolved issues contained in the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement. The union took the decision “after exhausting all available avenues,” when the Federal Government breached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) they both signed in January 2011. One of the contentious issues was the non-payment of Earned Allowances.

But the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, swiftly criticised ASUU’s action, describing it as unfortunate and capable of destroying the university system.

However, a meeting organize by the Federal Ministry of Education to resolve the issue ended in a deadlock. A senior government official was quoted as saying that it was impossible for the Federal Government to implement the MoU. The union has also vowed not to suspend the strike until its demands are met.

PDP: SOUTH EAST ENDORSES JONATHAN FOR 2015 PRESIDENCY

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East zone has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

The PDP zonal vice chairman, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd) disclosed this at a PDP rally in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

He stated that President Jonathan has, so far, done well and therefore deserves a second term in office.

 “The PDP in the South East zone has declared its full support for President Jonathan to contest a second term in office; he has done very well and deserves a second term and we, the PDP in the South East zone will work hard to ensure his victory”. Akobundu said.

Also, at the rally, Prince Kenneth Emekayi was presented by Akobundu as the authentic chairman of the PDP in Anambra State, as well as the governorship aspirants of the party for the November 16 election in the state.

The 11 governorship aspirants who attended the rally were: Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Mrs Josephine Anenih, Chief Sylvester Okonkwo, Dr.Obinna Uzoh, Chief Ugochukwu Okeke, Chief Walter Ubaka Okeke, Comrade Tony Nwoye, Senator Emma Anosike, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, Mr. Charles Odunukwe, and Chief Akachukwu Nwankpo.

Meanwhile, both Chief Chris Uba and his elder brother, Senator Andy Uba (Anambra South), were absent at the PDP rally held at Ekwueme Square, Awka.

FG DECLARES AUGUST 8 AND 9 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS TO MARK EID-EL-FITRI

The Federal Government has declared August. 8 and August. 9 public holidays to mark the 2013 Eid-el-Fitri celebration.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, on behalf of the Federal Government. The statement was signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Fatima Bamidele.

It urged Muslim faithful to use the spiritual benefits of Ramadan to contribute to the development of the nation. The statement also urged Nigerians to exploit the spiritual benefits of love, joy and peace in their daily living and to use the opportunity of the holidays to reflect on the imperative of peace in nation building.

It wished all Nigerians a rewarding and peaceful celebration.