He noted that this was exactly how Nigerians were told to be patient for eight years while the Buhari administration was busy doing very little or nothing at all.
Daniel Bwala, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has insisted that no matter the number of years President Bola Tinubu is given to govern Nigeria, nothing will change.
He made the claim during a recent interview.
He noted that this was exactly how Nigerians were told to be patient for eight years while the Buhari administration was busy doing very little or nothing at all.
Bwala said that Tinubu has already spent 31.8 percent of his first term in office and has only succeeded in raising the sufferings of Nigerians during this period.
“When people talk about being patient and waiting, you have to look at the time frame the public officer is expected to execute the work,” Bwala, who was the spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 elections, said on Channels TV on Monday.
“The President has just been voted into a term of four years. He is eight months into the term which constitutes 31.8 percent of the total time that he has.
“He has less than 70 percent time in government, when is that going to happen? When President Buhari took over in 2015 it was the same language and we patiently followed and he finished the first term and finished the second term.
“When there is a fundamental problem with policy, time is irrelevant, 30 years it will not work. Most of the economists I’ve listened to have faulted the President’s budget with which he was supposed to deliver the agenda flat-out…
“We want to see deliverables. Nigerians are tired of English, Mathematics, Economics, Science, and Technology. We want to see practical things,” he said.
A Nigerian customs official was captured on camera requesting N5,000 from a passenger as a condition for releasing his luggage.
In a video that was shared by an X user on Monday and is currently trending, the customs officer insisted that the passenger must pay N5,000 before being allowed to proceed with his belongings.
Despite the passenger’s willingness to offer only N1,000, he argued that the customs officer had not provided any service to merit the requested amount. The customs official, whose face is visible in the video, persisted, initially demanding N5,000. When the passenger explained that he didn’t have that much money, she reduced the demand to N3,000.
The passenger, however, maintained that he couldn’t afford the sum and offered N1,000 instead, which the customs officer rejected. The passenger clarified that he was transporting foodstuffs and not commercial goods, insisting that he wouldn’t give money.
The officer who didn’t hide her face was heard in the videos saying: “Give me N5,000,” but the passenger replied, “I no get.”
“Okay, bring N3,000,” the customs officer said but the passenger again said he didn’t have the money.
Then she asked: “How much do you have?”
The passenger then gave her N1000 which she rejected.
The passenger is heard saying, “I no carry market, na foodstuffs I carry. I no dey give you money.”
The passenger then turned to another passenger and said in broken English, “I give am N1,000 but she said she would not collect.”
The customs officer is then seen moving the passenger’s luggage to a corner, suggesting she was going to delay him if he refused to offer the amount demanded.
The passenger is overheard shouting, “Mama, where you dey carry the bag go now? Leave am here. Mama, stop I don’t want to be rude here.”
She replied, “Rude ke, rude na, rude. Why are you giving me N1000? You give me N1000, for what?”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service says it has commenced an investigation into the viral video of one of its officers demanding N5000 bribe from a passenger.
In the statement released, the NCS says preliminary investigation revealed that the incident transpired at New Terminal, within the departure hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, and was captured on video by the involved passenger.
‘’The recording reveals an inappropriate request for ₦5000 in exchange for expeditious processing of customs procedures. We wish to confirm that the Officer implicated is indeed a member of the Nigeria Customs Service, properly assigned to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Area Command.
The NCS strongly condemns this unprofessional conduct and is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professionalism. A comprehensive investigation is underway to scrutinize the incident thoroughly, and appropriate actions will be taken. Such behavior is entirely inconsistent with the core values of our service, and we are resolute in maintaining a transparent and accountable customs operation.” the statement in part reads
The body added that it encourages passengers and the public to report any instances of misconduct or corruption promptly. It says that these reports are crucial in upholding the integrity of its service and ensuring that officers adhere to the highest ethical standards. The NCS is unwavering in its commitment to fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. The outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the public at the earliest opportunity.
Items found in their possessions include fresh human head, hands, and one HP Laptop.
Hassan Kolawole has been paraded by the Police in Oyo State, on Friday.
The 45-year-old suspected ritualist was paraded after he was arrested with a fresh human head in Ibadan, the state capital.
Kolawole was paraded at the Command Headquarters at Eleyele in Ibadan North-West Local Government Area of the state, alongside nine others who were arrested for various crimes at different locations within the state.
They were paraded by the state Commissioner of Police, Adebola Hamzat, through the Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso.
Items found in their possessions include fresh human head, hands, and one HP Laptop.
Some police officers and soldiers have engaged in a free-for-all fight over traffic violation in Ekiti state.
The incident happened after a female police officer stopped the soldiers who drove a motorcycle against traffic.
However, the army personnel reportedly insisted on being allowed to pass despite taking their wrong-way driving, leading to an argument between the policewoman and the soldiers.
The verbal confrontation, however, degenerated into a fight, and the female officer called for backup.
In the viral video online, some civilians were seen attempting to separate the soldiers and police officers.
Reacting, the Ekiti State Police Spokesman, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident was a case of violation of traffic order and assault on a policewoman.
He added that the two soldiers involved had been arrested and were undergoing investigation.
He said, “Meanwhile, it’s a case of violation of traffic order and serious assault on a policewoman who was performing her lawful duty at the traffic by the two soldiers.
“The two military private officers who were on motorcycle were cautioned by the policewoman after they reluctantly passed through one-way traffic. The caution provoked them and they decided to pounce on the policewoman and assaulted her, got her injured and tore her uniform.
“It took the effort of some civilians around to stop the soldiers from escaping before the police reinforcement arrived.”
A video of her rendition had Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo state, and other guests in the hall looking on in bewilderment.
Nigerian singer and actress, Mercy Isoyip who is also known as aka Descushiel, has tendered an apology to the public.
She apologized to the public and the police institution for bungling the lyrics of the anthem on national television.
At a conference and retreat for senior police officers in Owerri, the Imo state capital on Monday, Descushiel who had been garbed in a police uniform just for the event, mangled stanzas of the national anthem to viral proportions.
A video of her rendition had Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo state, and other guests in the hall looking on in bewilderment.
The clip has been making the rounds on social media platforms.
“I’m an actress and an artiste. I want to sincerely apologise to the Nigerian police force and citizens of this great nation and also dignitaries that were present at the conference and retreat for senior police officers held on the 30th of October in Imo state,” the singer said in a video posted on X.
“I also want to apologise to my fans.”
Descushiel said she understands the importance of the national anthem and that there was no rationale for her below par performance.
She also promised to make amends in the future.
“I want to say I acknowledge and I understand the importance of the national anthem and I’m deeply sorry and I regret that I fell short in upholding the respect and reverence that it deserves,” she said.
“The Nigerian police gave me the opportunity and platform to lead the national anthem as a way of showcasing my craft in the entertainment industry and also to project the collaboration and friendly synergy between the police and the citizenry.
“I want to say I deeply respect the Nigerian police force and its unwavering commitment to serving our dear nation and to also add that I understand the importance of the values and traditions that the Nigerian police uphold.
“Please accept my apology and my assurance that I’ll be more careful to prevent any future occurrence of this sort.
“I want to apologise for any disruption that this unfortunate incident may have caused.
“I’m ready to make amends.”
Descushiel is a graduate of accounting from the University of Calabar. She also possesses a second degree in acting from the US.
She has four mix tapes and two singles titled: ‘Thirsty and Descushiel’ to her name.
She shot her first movie in Calabar, the Cross River state capital, and began acting professionally in 2016 after graduating from the New York Film Academy.
Some of the movies she has starred in include ‘Paige’, ‘Washerman’, ‘The Graduate’, ‘Neighbours’, ‘Once upon a Couple’, among others.
The international art world is celebrating the Ghanaian artist El Anatsui in London. On 9 October, a gigantic installation of three new works – Behind the Red Moon – opened at the Turbine Hall at the prestigious Tate Modern, displaying what Anatsui is most famous for: unique, large scale sculptural hangings.
Behind the Red Moon is the 2023 Hyundai Commission, an annual exhibition where a globally important artist is invited to stage an installation at the gallery. The exhibition also kicked off the annual Frieze Week of art shows in the city staged to coincide with the Frieze Art Fair, a major international art event.
This and anothertwo significant exhibitions by Anatsui are happening simultaneously in London.
Anatsui spent decades teaching sculpture and art education at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. As an art lecturer in the same department I have followed and taught his work to students for years – as he once taught me. Along with other former students of his, I travelled to London to view Behind the Red Moon.
The Tate installation further cements the already considerable international reputation of the 79-year-old artist, who creates enormous sculptural pieces, normally from wood and recycled materials such as discarded bottle tops. It does so in a way that establishes a powerful conversation about how history is constructed by the coming together of many cultures in a capitalist world.
The Tate show
The opening of Behind the Red Moon was a cosmopolitan event. Many came from all continents to celebrate a master artist whose practice transcends race, generation and materials. Yet the opening night crowd presented an African flavour – the kind you see at very important events in Nigeria.
In an earlier article on Anatsui, I predicted that the artist “will take your breath away by the time he is done overtaking and mesmerising the massive hall”. Expect to be dazzled! Behind the Red Moon is a magical and troubling universe, shimmering with meanings.
The installation, curated by Tate Modern’s Osei Bonsu and Dina Akhmadeeva, is presented in three acts. The works are fashioned out of over three million used, flattened bottle caps woven together with copper coils to give them the visual appearance of fabrics. They resemble kente cloth from Ghana, the woven cloths of the Akwete in Nigeria and lace from the west.
Each of the three works has dual sides and viewers can choose which side to begin with. The three acts depict imaginary scenes that begin with a blood moon and sun and progress to the earth and to a dead and exploited ocean throwing up its beautiful aquatic life.
The three acts
Let me walk you through these staged acts. At the entrance a visitor is greeted by plaques of texts cast in red against black. They contain phrases that serve as a guide to the essence of the work. One, for example, reads: “Each material has its properties, physical and even spiritual.”
The artist dwells in the urgency of the present and the planet’s crisis by interrogating the past. The works progress from shining yellow to red to browns to blacks. They speak of the interaction between the global north and south as well as conflict, war, insecurity, climate emergencies and questions of human rights.
Act I: The red moon speaks of how capitalism has driven global connections between continents through waters and sails. The title Behind the Red Moon is instantly revealed on the flipside of the red sculpture – which shows a sunny, yellowy landscape.
Act II: Anatsui writes, on a plaque, that he uses “multiple elements to talk about the world: not a world made up of just one culture, but a world shaped by all of us coming together”. Multiple continents hang from the ceiling to reveal a round earth from a particular angle.
Again there is a poetic second meaning: its flipside reveals what looks like a collection of humanoids pulling on the earth, bringing it to its knees through human activities that have brought us misery in the form of climate and humanitarian crises.
Act III: Just beyond that is a work cast in dark shades on one side, dripping right onto the floor and flowing like a black veil. (This became the backdrop for a special performance by master Ghanaian drummer Abass Dodoo and One Drum that enlivened the opening, giving it the feel of an African festival.)
This black sculpture suggests black gold – crude oil, coal and other fossil fuels – extracted from the earth. There’s an urgency here, a call to a transition to renewable sources of energy.
The flipside is magnificence itself, rich gold colours and reds that could be speaking of the opulence of the west or, for that matter, greedy leaders in poor African countries. The ocean is blackened by them, poor and rich co-existing.
With Behind the Red Moon El Anatsui offers a big picture of history and civilisation – and warns of the consequences of capitalist greed. You will struggle not to be awed by the work.
Behind the Red Moon is on display at the Tate until 14 April 2024
The Lagos State Police Command has stated that a police officer who was seen in the viral video shooting sporadically into the air at the Ladipo Market area of the state will face disciplinary action.
This was disclosed in a statement on X by the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Wednesday.
In a now-viral video on social media, a police officer was among Lagos residents jubilating on a street following the reopening of Ladipo Market.
Inspector Istifanus Kwanchi, the policeman in the video, serving with the Mobile Police (MOPOL), was reported to have been brought in for appropriate disciplinary actions.
Chronicle NG reports that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered the reopening of the Mushin local government market, which had been closed for days due to environmental and safety concerns.
Residents were ecstatic over the market’s reopening, and a policeman later identified as Inspector Istifanus Kwanchi was spotted firing rounds into the air amid the civilians.
Reacting to the video, Hundeyin said, “The police officer in this video, Inspector Istifanus Kwanchi, serving with the Mobile Police (MOPOL), has been brought in for appropriate disciplinary actions.”
The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer said such actions would not be condoned among the officers, describing them as “unprofessional and unethical.”
He also noted that the force “condemns in its entirety all forms of unprofessional and unethical behavior on the part of its officers and men and will definitely bring to book anyone found culpable.”
Many of Tonye Solomon’s compatriots questioned the veracity of his account when he claimed to have traveled 60 kilometres (37 mi) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, while carrying a football on his head from Amassoma to Yenagoa.
Tonye made the decision to set a Guinness World Record for the most ladder steps climbed while holding a football on his head in order to disprove their claims.
Last month, he accomplished the baffling feat by ascending 150 stairs to the top of a 250-foot (76-metre) tall radio pole while deftly maintaining control of the ball on his head.
Tonye says he wanted to set this record to challenge himself and “inspire others to do great things.”
He spent two months training for it, using all his free time to practise until he was confident that he would not fail.
During the record attempt, Tonye was seemingly unfazed by the steep ascent, taking just 12 and a half minutes to complete the climb.
“I was astonished because it’s never been done by anyone before,” said Fish Jombo, a radio presenter who was part of the large crowd which gathered to watch the record attempt.
After climbing all 150 steps, Tonye threw the ball down and celebrated with a fist pump.
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I thank the Nigerian Civil Defense Bayelsa State Command for allowing me use their facility for this.”
First Bank of Nigeria has admitted that N68m belonging to Italy-based customer, Glory Omokaro was withdrawn from her account.
The bank admitted the fraud case on Monday after the victim reported the case to the popular Radio Programme, Brekete Family.
First Bank said, “We confirm the report of fraudulent activity on the account of one of our customers. This incident has been undergoing a very robust investigation since our receipt of the customer’s complaint with the goal of holistically unearthing what transpired and addressing the challenge, including satisfying the customer. Unfortunately, this has taken longer than anticipated.
“While the investigation is ongoing, we have repaired the customer’s account given the findings so far and our view that this is the best action in consideration for our customer. We regret any inconveniences this may have caused the customer and wish to emphasize that this incident is in no way reflective of the principles and ethics of our time-tested operations.”
First Bank’s Statement On The Fraud Case
Omokaro had traveled to Italy in 2005. She returned in 2013 to visit her family and opened a savings account with First Bank at the Ring Road Branch in Benin City, Edo State.
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When she traveled back to Italy, where she was based, Omokaro deposited money into the First Bank accounts and was allegedly in touch with the branch manager, Mr Gabriel.
In 2018, during another visit to Nigeria, the victim subscribed to the bank application to enable her to track her transactions from Italy.
She also applied for a debit card, which she used to perform transactions during her stay. When she returned to Italy, Glory said her account was not tampered with until 2021, when her ATM allegedly expired.
Glory contacted the same bank manager, Gabriel, to help renew her debit card. According to her, the manager gave her the option of sending someone or coming in person to renew the card.
Glory said due to Covid-19 restrictions, she could not return. However, she returned in May 2023 and visited the bank branch to withdraw and also renew her card.
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She was told in the bank that she had no money in her account with the bank.
“I met customer care and I was told that I only have N3,000 in my account and not N68m,” Peter Uvieruve, who spoke for the victim said.
She said she requested for the bank statement but the bank declined to release the statement to her.
She however, requested for the statement through a lawyer who wrote the bank. “The statement was released one week later,” Peter said.
“We discovered that on 13, October 2022, they moved N51.7m out of the account. They returned the money. We suspected that they were checking if she would complain. But she did not notice. After 24 days around November 2022, they withdrew three times from the account. The first was N9m, then N5m, N2m and another N2m until it was left with N3,000.
“We contacted, EFCC said they were only after Yahoo boys for now. We contacted the DSS and they declined. The lawyer also started behaving as though he was compromised,” he said.
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