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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Yinka Odumakin ‘I N Nigeria, political parties change and increase in number every election season. The acronyms that distinguish them are ideologically empty. They are merely arrangements among friends or strange bedfellows for the sake of cornering  state power … “Interestingly, hardly any of the leading politicians in contention invokes the ideals or vision of the founding fathers to foreground their actions. They have no political ancestry, being mostly political orphans with no solid convictions or even ethical moorings or moral qualms whatsoever. In quite a number of cases, the major political actors possess no credible educational qualifications. Most are in politics because there is nothing else to do: businesses have failed, professional practices have collapsed  and unemployment has often driven  many to the limits  of creative survival. They, therefore, act mostly in pursuit of their immediate personal or small group interests. ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Patrick Dele Cole LAST year, there was an almighty battle between the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and MTN over whether MTN met its obligations of ensuring that every user of MTN was captured biometrically. The NCC imposed an inconsiderable and unconscionable fine of several billion naira for the failure of MTN. I am not a fan of MTN but there was no doubt that the fine was excessive and deliberately punitive. One had the impression that what we were seeing was the expression of a fight somewhere else. The question is, if NCC can impose these massive fines – who then can impose a fine on NCC for dereliction of duty? The network providers continually charge its subscribers for calls they do not make, for services they have not asked for and so on. These practices are carried out with the full knowledge of the NCC but not a whimper comes from them. When I was overseas and the record companies wanted to sell their records they adopted the questionab...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Federation Cup defending Champions, FC Ifeanyi Ubah will play CKC FC in one of the semi finals of the Neros Pharmaceuticals Anambra State FA cup. The Anambra Warriors defeated Ozalla FC 2-0 in the quarter final. CKC FC reached the last four after a 5-4 penalties shoot out win over Morning Stars of Onitsha. Both sides ended the regulation and extra time 2-2 at Neros Stadium in Nanka. The game comes up at 3pm on Wednesday at the FCIU International Stadium in Nnewi. In the other Semi final, All Stars FC of Ihiala will square off against FC Ifeanyi Ubah  Feeders. While All Stars went through on a 5-4 shoot out win against Ogbaru FC after 1-1 full and extra time at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium in Onitsha, FC Ifeanyi Ubah Feeders beat Global FC 1-0 in their quarter final match played at the Rojenny Stadium in Oba. FCIU Feeders and All Stars semi final clash will hold at Neros Stadium in Nanka. The final comes up on Sunday at the Neros Stadium in Nanka. The post ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Ibadan—To prepare students for a knowledge-based future as well as bridge the gap in the provision of quality education, the Oyo State Government has unveiled a new intervention initiative tagged Oyo State Model Education System Interventions, OYOMESI. OYOMESI was unveiled by Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday, in Ibadan. Ajimobi, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Olalekan Alli, said the programme was designed to actualise the vision and mission of the present administration on educational development in the state. He expressed optimism that OYOMESI as one of the intervention strategies of the state government would promote students achievements and preparation for global competitiveness. The governor challenged political appointees in the state to discharge their responsibilities in line with the vision of his administration. The initiator of the programme and Special Adviser to the Governor on Education,   Dr Bisi Akin-Alabi, s...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Caleb Ayansina THE National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), is to partner with the Nigerian Prisons Service in tackling the menace of desertification. This agreement was made when the Director General, NAGGW, Mr. Goni Ahmed paid a courtesy call on the Comptroller General of Prisons Service, in Abuja. The DG said the GGW Agency was put in place to embrace two key issues of land degradation and improve the livelihood of the people in 11 front line states in northern Nigeria. According to him, Nigerian Prisons Service is a key government agency involved in agricultural inputs and have a central command whereby it is easy to pass directives or programmes that will improve the Agency. He said the Agency has identified the excessive use of firewood, saying that in Nigeria almost 80 to 90 percent use firewood for their cooking, saying that while the Agency is out there planting trees, some people are busy cutting trees. Ahmed noted that the use of firew...