Outrage as northern "Ph.D
holder" says "it will be absurd to say that a girl of
16 is a child bride"
A man
claiming to be a Ph.D holder has caused outrage after he defended child
marriage by saying 16-year-old girls cannot be considered child brides because
of "modernization", "lifestyle" and "the type of food
we eat."
Mustapha Mohammad
tweeted: "With the advent of modernization and the lifestyle we live, not
forgetting to mention the type of food we eat these days. It will be absurd to
say that a girl of 16 is a child bride. The most important thing is for the
groom to have what takes mentality and economically."
His tweet was in
reaction to another by a man from northern Nigeria who called on northern
leaders to begin speaking against child marriages.
Web users have
called Mustapha out for his statement and accused him of not being deserving of
his Ph.D.
You’ve not changed – Clark lambasts Buhari over creation of NEDC because of high votes
Former Federal Commissioner for Information,
Chief Edwin Clark, has blasted President Muhammadu Buhari over comments that he
established
North-East Development Commission, NEDC, in appreciation of the region’s
massive electoral support for him in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
Clark said the President has not changed his
attitude, recalling his July 2, 2015 statement at the United States Institute
of Peace that those who gave him five per cent votes should not expect same
with those who gave him 97 per cent.
Speaking at his Asokoro residence in Abuja on
Thursday, the elder statesman reminded Buhari that he is the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, irrespective of party, religion or ethnic
background.
Clark said the statements has explained the
delay on projects in Niger Delta, including the Ogoniland clean-up and the East-West
road.
The Ijaw leader said: “These statements
credited to Mr President (in 2015 and presently in 2019) is politics taken to
the mundane and absurdity, and very unpatriotic.
“Chapter VI, Section 130 of the 1999
Constitution states that: (1) There shall be for the Federation a President.
(2) The President shall be the Head of State, the Chief Executive of the
Federation and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation.
“Section 132 (4) of the 1999 Constitution
states that: “For the purpose of an election to the office of President, the
whole of the Federation shall be regarded as one constituency. Therefore, for
Mr President to base development of the country on political patronage, is most
unfair and unacceptable.”
“If the President pronounces that the signing
and inauguration of the North East Development Commission is a reward for the
massive votes he got in the North East, let it, therefore, be likely concluded
that negligence of his Government to the development of the Niger Delta region
is as a result of the people of the region choosing to vote in accordance with
their conscience.
“For instance, the non-commencement of the
Ogoni clean-up and other equally damaged Oil and Gas producing areas, the non-
completion of the East-West Road, and other long deprived economic activities
of the region is a punishment for the people of the Niger-Delta for choosing to
vote according to their conscience.
“This also can be attributed to Mr
President’s refusal to dialogue or execute the South-South Leaders 16 point
programme.
“We strongly therefore advise Mr. President
not to abandon the goose that lays the golden egg, because, it is a case Mr
President telling Nigerians that if the people of the North East had not voted
for him massively he would not have signed the Bill for setting up of the NEDC
and inaugurated the Commission.”
Musa Halilu Ahmed
Foundation donates educational materials to Government Model Secondary School,
Daura
In a bid to promote educational excellence in
Nigeria and propel the nation towards achieving the Sustainable Development
Goal 4 (Quality Education), Musa
Halilu Ahmed Foundation founded by the Dujima Adamawa Alhaji Musa Halilu
Ahmed, has empowered no fewer than 2000 pupils and 30 teachers of Government
Model Secondary School Daura, Katsina state.
The foundation known for its charitable drive
across the country in areas of education, youth development and poverty
alleviation/wealth creation empowered students with materials such as school
uniforms, bags, exercise books, textbooks and pens.
It also equipped the school with dozens of
stationeries, public address system among others to boost
educational/administrative activities of the teachers.
The altruistic act is borne out of the
passion to reduce the current high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria
estimated at 13.5 million by UNICEF, and to combat the menace of illiteracy in
Nigeria.
The foundation have it as part of their 2019
goals to send 50 thousand out of school children back to school and provide
over 200 scholarships to those willing to acquire higher education.
“We recognise that it is a big task to
provide quality education for every Nigerian due to the limited allocation
towards education, as such public school students and schools lack access to
essential educational resources.
“We are optimistic that this programme will
help to bridge knowledge inequality by providing students as well as public
schools access to learning resources that aid academic excellence and enable
teachers to discharge their obligatory duties seamlessly”, the Founder, Alhaji
Musa Halilu Ahmed, said in a statement delivered at the ceremony.
Musa Halilu Ahmed Foundation called on
well-meaning Nigerians home and abroad to contribute their quota towards nation
building and invest in the education of the future leaders of Nigeria.
It added that investment in education equips
children with knowledge and confidence with which they will grow up to live
responsibly and productively.
Kano Emirate: Traditional
rulers must respect political authority – Tanko Yakasai reacts to Emir Sanusi throne
split
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, an elder statesman, has
reacted to the whittling down of Emir Muhammad Sanusi’s influence through the
creation of four additional emirates in Kano State.
He said traditional rulers must learn to
respect and subject themselves to political authorities if they want to sustain
the heritage of their offices.
Recall that Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano
yesterday installed
four new emirs for Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya following a new law passed by
the state legislature splitting the Kano emirate.
However, Yakasai said the splitting of Kano
was bound to happen whether Gov. Ganduje oversaw it or not.
“Well, I think that if you can remember,
after the election of the Peoples Redemption Party in Kano in 1979, in between
that period and 1982, the government of Abubakar Rimi, with the full support of
his leader, our leader, Mallam Aminu Kano, created new emirates out of the
existing one.
“And actually, the majority of the emirates
created then were already autonomous administrative units long before the
advent of the British colonialists. For instance, Rano is older than Kano. Gaya
itself is older than Kano.
“What I am saying is that the existence of at
least two or more of the additional emirates created by Alhaji Abubakar Rimi
predated the creation of Kano Emirate.
“This event of the last few days (the
creation of additional Emirates) in my opinion was bound to come sooner or
later.
“You must cast your mind back to the factors
that gave rise to it before in the 80s. What made them to do that? Even in
Sokoto and Borno states, there is the same feeling for the creation of
additional Emirates.
“I think that the sooner the traditional
rulers in Northern Nigeria or in Nigeria as a whole begin to realize that there
is a superior authority; if people who are inferior to them in authority are
willing to submit themselves to them, they in turn should be prepared to submit
themselves to a higher authority.
“This has been the problem in Northern
Nigeria since the introduction of democracy in Nigeria. This is what led to the
misunderstanding between the grandfather of the present Emir, and Sir Ahmadu
Bello, the Sarduna of Sokoto and the Premier of Northern Nigeria.
“The trouble between both men was caused by
issue of accepting a higher authority or subordinating your own authority to a
higher authority,” he told the Sun newspaper.
On what the position of Kano elders to the
situation was before it got out of hand, Yakasai said: “I understand that some
of the elders of Kano State made representation to the governor of the state,
before it happened and his response to them was that when the Emir was showing
acts of insubordination to him and to his administration was the time that they
would have tried to intervene because they ought to have realized that the kind
of situation was bound to happen.
“This was the answer he gave them, so I was
told. And I would like to say that elders in Kano or in any part of Nigeria
should try to be objective and straightforward: Tell the truth wherever it is
necessary. Not damn the consequences, do it through diplomacy.
“There is a way you can still say the truth
without earning the anger of anybody. I think our leaders and elders should
begin to learn to talk and speak out, not when it is already too late.”
Body of 4-year-old found dead in soak-away in Yobe as police arrest suspect
[PHOTOS]
A body of a
4-year-old boy, Al-Amin Baba has been recovered today in a soakaway pit in
Potiskum town, Yobe State after missing for about two weeks.
The boy who has gone missing since the 17th of April, 2019 was said to
have been kidnapped by unknown persons while returning home from an Islamic
school late evening, who demanded 8 million Naira and later 2 million Naira as
ransom.
News reaching us have that one of the kidnappers who had come to collect
the ransom after contacting Al-Amin’s father was apprehended by a combined team
of police and members of vigilante operating in the area.
After interrogation, the suspected kidnapper told the security
operatives where the body of Al-Amin can be found.
Ibrahim Baba, father of the 4-year-old said the deceased’s body was
found close to Potiskum Remand Home, without eyes, throat and male organs, a
situation that raised a suspicion that the suspected criminals had used the
victim’s organs for ritual rites.
Hauwa Ibrahim Baba, mother of Al-Amin expressed shock over the
discovery of the body of her 4-year-old son who was the child among the five
children she had.
According to her, the missing of her son has been a nightmare to her
and the rest of the family.
She, however, thanked God as her son’s body was found though dead, but
added that the family now has the honor to bury him according to Islamic
injunctions.
“I am appealing to government to ensure that justice prevails on the
perpetrators of this heinous act”, she appealed.
The remains of Al-Amin has since been buried according to Islamic rites
amid tears.
The suspect according to reports will be arraigned in court after
investigation by the police.
May Day: Gov. Dankwambo, NLC Gombe chapter appeal to residents
Governor
Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Gombe
State Chapter, on Wednesday called for peaceful co-existence amongst people of
the state.
The appeal followed the death of 10 persons hit by a car during a procession on
Sunday night by the Boys’ Brigade in Gombe ahead of the Easter Monday’s
celebration.
The incident, which raised tension in the state, led to the imposition
of curfew by the state government on April 27.
NAN reports that Dankwambo, who was represented by his deputy, Mr
Charles Iliya, stressed that peace remained a necessary tool for the
development of the state, adding that the people should continue to leave in
peace with one another.
While also using the opportunity to extend his condolences to the families of
deceased in the unfortunate incident, he wished those in the hospital quick
recovery.
Earlier, Comrade Mohammed Musa, NLC Chairman, Gombe State chapter,
called on the people of the state to remain calm and law abiding.
Musa also appealed to the state government to implement the N30,000
minimum wage as soon as the circular was released.
Insecurity: El-Rufai meets Sultan of Sokoto, and Security Chiefs
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State is currently meeting with the
acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu and the Sultan of
Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar over security issues in the state and other parts
of the north.
The meeting, which started around 11:30 am, is holding at the Arewa
House in Kaduna.
Others in attendance are; Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, the Defence
Minister, and Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
SGF.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir
Ahmad, made this known on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
Ahmad said the theme of the meeting was “how to tackle the menace of
insecurity ravaging the North”.
He wrote: “SECURITY ISSUES; Regional Meeting of the Northern
Traditional Rulers’ Council is currently taking place at Arewa House in Kaduna.
Hosted by @GovKaduna. Theme; how to tackle the menace of insecurity ravaging
the North. Sultan of Sokoto, SGF, IGP and Defence Minister in attendance.”
