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http://ift.tt/2pLTXR7 Olusegun Obasanjo There is much to worry about the recent trepidation expressed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo regarding the alarming level of neglect of the nation’s youths. The fact that youths are the largest segment of the county’s population is enough to entertain some fear if they should not be given due attention. Sadly, they are glibly referred to as the future leaders without ensuring that a deliberate measure to aid their quest for public service or entrepreneurship be put in place. Unarguably, youths are the engine that drives the economy of any nation and if given the opportunity to lead, they will make the nation regain its pride of place economically and in the international community. Therefore, to paraphrase Obasanjo, we will not transform if we continue to ignore the youths. However, over the years, the challenges faced by the youths due to neglect are unimaginable. It is sad to note that many who tried to break the jinx and become se...

http://ift.tt/2qkNBHW An armed police officer stands on duty outside Manchester Piccadilly train station in Manchester, northwest England on May 24, 2017, following the May 22 terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Police on Tuesday named Salman Abedi — reportedly British-born of Libyan descent — as the suspect behind a suicide bombing that ripped into young fans at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22, as the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the carnage. CHRIS J RATCLIFFE / AFP While the world was still in shock over the terrorism attack in Manchester the other day, a similar incident was carried out in London with many people being injured and scores losing their lives. Nigerians appropriately joined the rest of the world in condemning the attack. The response by the British government was characteristically swift, in both locations, while the apparatus of investigation swung into action and carried out arrests. It must therefore be said that j...

http://ift.tt/2rbSt2N Vía Nigeria News, Headlines and Opinions – The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper http://ift.tt/2s2tfb1

http://ift.tt/2p7QPjf As Nigeria navigates to another important date on her calendar, which commemorates her avowed commitment to democracy, it is important to reflect on her journey so far, with a view to determining whether it has been retrogressive, cyclic or progressive. As a developing democracy, it is expected that such a day should mark another milestone on her roadmap rather than a mere holiday on the national calendar. It is common knowledge that the soul of democracy is the people, and as such, all activities therein should positively reflect and advance that people-connection. The measure of progress of a democracy, ipso facto, becomes the level of integration of public systems and institutions with the people. This should shape government actions and public behaviours. Government actions entail managing and regulating all activities and interests in the polity for overall public good. Politics, economics, leadership, governance, technology, etc, must therefore be harmoni...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Ochereome Nnanna A MONTH ago, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote the National Assembly, seeking approval for a $5.851 billion loan from the China Ex-Im Bank for the construction and modernisation of the railway infrastructure in Nigeria. The projects covered by the proposed loan are: the Lagos-Ibadan segment of the Lagos-Kano rail line ($1.231 billion); the Kaduna-Kano segment ($1.146 billion) and the Lagos-Calabar coastal rail project ($3.474 billion). The President pressurised the Federal lawmakers, reminding them that these projects (and their attached loans) were already provided for in this year’s budget. “As you are aware”, he urged, “the funds available under the China-Africa Fund are limited and loan applications from all over Africa countries are funded based on first come, first served and therefore there is an urgent to sign these loans as soon as they are approved or we may lose out in the event that we delayed in signing the loans agreement”. ...