Another Lagos lawmaker, Tunde Braimoh is dead

Tunde Braimoh, the lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 2 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, is dead.

The former chairman of Kosofe Local Government died early Friday, two months to his 60th birthday.

Taiwo Fadipe, the chief press secretary to Kosofe Local Government said Braimoh died after two days of illness.

“He died at a hospital in Ikorodu Road. He died overnight after a two-day sickness,” Fadipe said.


Braimoh, a lawyer was the Bamofin of Ketuland. He was popularly called ‘Big Daddy’.

He is survived by his wife and children.

Last month,  Senator Bayo Osinowo, who had also represented Kosofe 1 constituency  in the House of Assembly  died of coronavirus complications.





source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/another-lagos-lawmaker-tunde-braimoh-is.html

Magu In Shock; Quizzed Over 380 Houses, 7 Crude Oil Ships, N37Billion

The embattled Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, was on Wednesday confronted with more allegations.

The Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel asked him to account for 380 houses and seven vessels loaded with crude oil.

The probe panel also grilled on him on the disposal of assets worth N37 billion.



Magu is being grilled, following allegations raised against him by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami(SAN).

The panel started quizzing Magu on Monday after his arrest by detectives in Abuja. On Tuesday, he was grilled on cash discrepancies said to be N539 billion realised from the sale of seized assets and N504 billion declared by the commission.

Both issues are part of the over 20 allegations levelled against the anti-graft agency chairman by the AGF. Magu is said to be shocked by some of the findings.

His family members have been allowed to visit him at the police cell where he's held at the Force CID, Abuja.

"We Used N1.5 Billion To Take Care Of Ourselves For COVID19" - NDDC MD

The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei, has admitted that the commission spent N1.5 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’.

He made this statement at the investigative hearing on the N40 billion corruption allegation against the commission.



The Senate had on May 5 set up a seven-man ad-hoc committee to investigate the “financial recklessness” of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission.

The lawmakers said, within the last three months, the commission has spent over N40 billion of the commission’s fund ”without recourse to established processes of funds disbursement which has opened up further suspicion among stakeholders of the Niger Delta Region.”

They also faulted the IMC’s "arbitrary use of executive power in an alleged wrongful sacking of management staff without recourse to established civil service rules and practice with the aim of allegedly concealing the fraudulent financial recklessness they have committed.”

Mr Pondei and other delegates from the commission appeared before the committee on Thursday for the hearing.

Part of the audit report read out by the chairman of the committee, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, said N3.1 billion was spent as COVID-19 funds between October 2019 and May 2020.

In the report, the lawmaker said "N10million was paid to one person, N7 million to two people, N5 million to three people, 148 people took N3 million each, 157 people got N1.5 million each, 497 people got N1 million each and 464 people were paid N600,000 each.”

Another N475 million was given to the police to purchase face masks and hand sanitisers, he added.

Responding to questions regarding the COVID-19 Relief Fund paid to NDDC staff, the MD said "only N1.5 billion was used to take care of staff” despite being paid their salaries.

He explained that part of the fund was for the youth of Niger Delta.

"The youth were given palliatives to help cushion the effect of the pandemic on the people. The youth were idle and to avoid violence, they were paid,” he said.

“Five million for youths and five million for women and five million for people living with disabilities in each senatorial district,” he said.

He said "the remaining fund was spent on staff of the commission.”

“We used it to take care of ourselves. We are NDDC, we need to take care of ourselves too,” he said.

He further explained that the IMC inherited debts upon assumption of office ”that needed to be cleared on time.”

He said the previous management owed hotels and had unpaid electricity bills of about N26 million.

When asked why the police was given N475 million, Mr Pondei said a request was made from ”the high command of police and the management took a look at it and approved it.”

He explained that the money ”was an intervention and the NDDC is expecting a report as to how the money was spent.”

The investigative hearing will continue on Friday, the chairman said.

90 percent of staff at Ghana education ministry contract COVID-19

Matthew Prempeh, Ghanaian minister of education, says over 90 percent of the staff of the ministry have contracted coronavirus.

According to Ghana Web, Prempeh said mass testing conducted at the ministry revealed that he is among those positive for the disease.

The minister said the tests had to be conducted on the staff of the ministry after his result came back positive the second time.

He said results from the tests showed out of 50 persons, about 45 of the staff had contracted the disease with majority of them being asymptomatic.

“After my second result came out as positive, testing was conducted on all staff at the ministry and the results showed that out of every 50 persons, about 45 had contracted the virus,” Prempeh said.

“Most of them are asymptomatic so they are isolating at home.”

Recounting his experience before recovery, the minister, who was on admission for two weeks at the University of Ghana Medical Center, said it was harrowing.

He said: “For all the 52 years of my life, I’ve never been admitted to the hospital before and it was not a pleasant experience. The disease is very real and I don’t wish it on even my foe.”

With 548 new cases, Ghana has recorded 22,822 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 17,564 recoveries and 129 deaths.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/90-percent-of-staff-at-ghana-education_10.html

More beautiful maternity photos of Linda Ejiofor Suleiman..

Here are more beautiful maternity photos of actress Linda Ejiofor Suleiman. The actress and her husband, Ibrahim Suleiman, welcomed their first child yesterday.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/more-beautiful-maternity-photos-of.html

R.a.p.e: Kano police threaten to prosecute uncompleted building's owners

The Kano State Police Command has threatened to prosecute owners of uncompleted buildings in the state following a rise in case of r.a.p.e, especially in the ancient city.

The police had recently disclosed that 33.3 per cent of r.a.p.e cases recorded in the state was perpetrated in uncompleted buildings

Speaking yesterday with journalists in Kano, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said with the worrisome statistics on r.a.p.e, the command had deployed its men on patrol and surveillance to unoccupied buildings in Kano and its environs to tackle the ugly trend.

 “We are warning the general public that henceforth, any rape case perpetrated in an uncompleted building, the owner will be charged as an accomplice.

“Our investigation has shown that 33.3 per cent of r.a.p.e cases were perpetrated in uncompleted buildings in this state.

“The figure has shown that children and minors are mostly r.a.p.ed in uncompleted buildings in the state.

“All owners of uncompleted buildings in the state have been advised to quickly complete the structures or cover them in a way that criminals will not have access into the places,” he said.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/rape-kano-police-threaten-to-prosecute.html

Hushpuppi is an entrepreneur not fraudster – Lawyer

Chicago foremost lawyer Gal Pissetzky, who is representing Nigerian fraudster, Ramon Abbas Igbalode, better known as Hushpuppi, has said his client is into legitimate businesses and not fraud.

Hushpuppi, who was extradited to US from Dubai last week Thursday faces trial in Los Angeles, where his case has been filed before a US District Court in Central District of California.

Mr Pissetzky of Pissetzky & Berliner told Forbes that Hushpuppi has a real estate business and was paid for promoting brands on social media.


Pissetzky said his client is “Absolutely not guilty of [the] charges they are accusing him of,” adding, “[Abbas] was running a legitimate business and a very legitimate Instagram account and did not take part in any scam or fraud.”

Speaking about how Hushpuppi paid for his expensive lifestyle, Pissetzky said “He’s an entrepreneur. He has real estate involvement … [he’s] an Instagram personality. He was promoting brands and that’s how he was very legitimately making his money.”

On his relationship with Premier League footballers Tammy Abraham and Ezri Konsa, his lawyer says, “Mr Abbas is friends with a lot of people. Somebody who has that many followers – obviously he knows and has friends in a lot of places … it’s all legitimate.”

Hushpuppi, 37, was arrested by the police in Dubai in June, alongside 11 persons which included another Nigerian – Olalekan Ponle – also known as Woodberry.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/hushpuppi-is-entrepreneur-not-fraudster.html

Seven persons arrested for multiple bank robberies in Ondo, Ekiti, others

Police operatives attached to the Special Tactical Squad have arrested a seven-man criminal gang that attacked and robbed three comm​ercial banks in Ondo and Ekiti between 2019 and 2020, killing innocent citizens including six policemen and carting away several millions of naira.

Investigation reveals that the armed robbers -- Tunbosun Ojo, Ismaila Ojo, Victor Oyeyemi, Dele Ariyo, Shola Oladimeji, Olubodun Folayemi and Adeniyi John – carried out the robbery of a commercial bank in Ile-oluji, Ondo State on February 7, 2020 where four policemen were killed.

Similarly, they were also involved in the robbery of a microfinance bank in Idanre, Ondo State in December 2019 and a commercial bank at Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State where two policemen lost their lives. 


Efforts are being intensified to arrest other members of the gang still at large and to recover other sophisticated weapons used in the operations, Force spokesperson, Frank Mba,.said in a statement.

In a similar vein, 23 other suspects were also arrested by the police operatives for their involvement in various crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, car snatching at gun point, amongst other offences.

The following were recovered from the suspects: one AK49 rifle, one AK47 rifle, two pump action guns, five locally made guns, 19 locally made short guns, 125 cartridges, 145 AK47 ammunition, locally fabricated explosives and a Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg. No. LSR 490 GC.

The suspects will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations. 

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/seven-persons-arrested-for-multiple.html

Why I Suspended Oshiomhole, Leading To His Sack As Chairman - His Ward Leader Opens Up

The Ward 10 Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr Stephen Oshawo, on Thursday, explained why he suspended the former national chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole.

He said Oshiomhole did not pay his pensions for eight months when he was governor of the state, adding that the pension backlog did not take Governor Godwin Obaseki one month to pay when he (Obaseki) assumed office.



He said this in Benin City, the state capital, when he received an award for good governance as an outstanding political icon of the year from the Chief Executive Officer of Mega House Entertainment, Goodluck Ogbeide.

He said, “I am very happy for the award. This award means a lot to me. It means that I should continue to do what I have done that warranted this award because I believe in truth, transparency, and also eliminating godfatherism.

“You know, this government believes in development and the masses. The truth is that, when the former government (Oshiomhole) was in power as the governor of the state, I was an insider, I was the chairman of Ward 10. I suffered many things and nobody knew me or recognised me.

“As a chairman to the governor of the state, I couldn’t receive my gratuity as a pensioner and as a chairman to Oshiomhole when he was still the governor of the state, I was not able to get my pension for eight months, but when Godwin Obaseki came in, it didn’t take him up to a month, he paid my gratuity and not only me but all the pensioners in Edo State.”

Senior Police Officer, CSP Nwafor Allegedly Kills People With Impunity

Life may never remain the same for Mr Emmanuel Iloabuchi Iloanya after the Officer in Charge of Awkuzu Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Mr. James O. Nwafor and his men allegedly killed his son Mr Chijioke Iloanya without getting justice.

Mr Iloanya in a telephone chat with News9naija recounts how his son was arrested and gruesomely killed in cold blood by one Mr Jame O. Nwafor, now a retired police officer attached to Awkuzu SARS who led his boys to a naming ceremony and arrested attendees which many of the arrested never made it out alive.



Unfortunately, Mr Chijioke John Ilonanya was amongst those who never made it out alive.

Upon learning about his arrest, on November 31, 2012, Mr Illoanya in company of his wife went to the Awkuzu Police Station were they met their son in handcuff, though they saw him there, they were driven out of the police station.

Unsettled with the proceedings, Mr Iloanya proceeded to the office of the Anambra State Commissioner of Police where he met the Commissioner and his deputy. Upon narrating his sons ordeal to them, they promised him that nothing would happen to his son, but this promised was never fulfilled.

Upon his subsequent visit to the commissioner, Mr Nwafor was summoned but never showed up.

It was on his visit to the Commissioner's office in January 2013 that the Deputy Commissioner of Police told him of his son's death.

Mr Iloanya proceeded to the Awkuzu SARS office where he met Mr James Nwafor. Upon request for his son's whereabouts, Mr Nwafor told him, "Go, I have wasted your son". This insensitive statement didn't go down well with Mrs Iloanya as she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital upon hearing what Mr Nwafor said.

Mr Iloanya didn't stop there, he went on to seek justice for his slain son, if not for anything but to at least retrieve his corpse from the SARS.

He met one, Rt Col. Emmanuel Udechukwu (now Late), a human right activist through who Mr Iloanya delivered the sum N1.5M to the Awkuzu SARS but nothing came forth.

Till now, Mr Iloanya has not set eyes on his son nor his corpse.

Mr Iloanya is calling on the Nigerian Police Force, NGOs and well meaning Nigerian to help him get justice for his son. He said, "I know that my son is dead, but i just want justice"

Mr Illoanya can be reached on 08035501598.

Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria walks out on House Of Reps members during meeting

There was mild drama at Nigeria's House of Representatives on Thursday after the Lebanese Amabassador to Nigeria walked out of a meeting targeted at addressing the harassment of Nigerian domestic workers in Lebabnon.

Houssam Diab shortly after entering the conference room for the meeting with the House Commitee on Diaspora walked out, leaving the lawmakers shocked in the process.

The ambassador reportedly stormed out at 10:50am because he expected a close door meeting with the lawmakers but met government officials and journalists, who were there to cover the event.


Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, Chairman of the committee, expressed shock over the incident. 

Some lawmakers reportedly followed the ambassador to persuade him to return while the committee sent journalists, security personnel and legislative aides away from the venue.

After the meeting, Akande-Sadipe changed stance, saying, “It was an informal meeting because the ambassador was nice enough to join us at the meeting. There is no law that says he has to be here today but because he has an interest in the joint relationship between Nigeria and Lebanon.

“We have a lot of Nigerians in Lebanon and we have a lot of Lebanese in Nigeria. We have a relationship with Lebanon from the 50s.

“This meeting today has further reiterated that the Lebanese community and the Nigerian community always stand together to ensure that justice and respect for human lives is a priority, and we will work together to bring modern-day slavery to an end.”



source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/lebanese-ambassador-to-nigeria-walks.html

90 percent of staff at Ghana education ministry test positive for Coronavirus

The Minister of Education Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has confirmed that over 90 percent of the staff of his ministry have tested positive to the deadly Coronavirus.

Speaking to Kwame Sefa Kayi in an interview, Thursday, monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr. Prempeh revealed that mass testing was conducted at the ministry when it was made known that he had been infected with the virus.

He added, results from the testing showed that almost all staff of the ministry had contracted the virus with the majority of them being asymptomatic.

“After my second result came out as positive, testing was conducted on all staff at the ministry and the results showed that out of every 50 persons, about 45 had contracted the virus. Most of them are asymptomatic so they are isolating at home,” the minister disclosed.


The minister who is now hale and hearty, whiles recounting his two weeks’ admission at the University of Ghana Medical Center said the experience was harrowing.

“For all the 52 years of my life, I’ve never been admitted to the hospital before and it was not a pleasant experience. The disease is very real and I don’t wish it on even my foe,” he said.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/90-percent-of-staff-at-ghana-education.html

Toyin Abraham marks 3 years journey of change

Filmmaker, director and producer Toyin Abraham took to social media to celebrate living a peaceful life which happened 3 years ago.

The mum of 1 changed her name from Toyin Aimakhu to Toyin Abraham and the actor says it has been a hell of a journey which is worth it.

‘There was a Toyin Aimakhu then Toyin Abraham happened three years ago. Let’s not forget the ”new” Toyin is just three years ago. It has been one massive journey of change and faithfulness of God. What a journey!

Living my life at my pace and being at peace with my pace.’ she wrote.



source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/toyin-abraham-marks-3-years-journey-of.html

We were scared of Lucifer, Church of Satan founder — Abia community residents

Residents of Ebem, Ohafia town in Abia State where the Church of Satan was located, yesterday expressed their joy following its demolition by irate youths, claiming they were afraid to confront the founder because of alleged possession of evil powers that could kill anyone who challenged his activities.

The Church also known as Assemblies of Light Bearer Greater Church was founded by a young man identified as Ifekwe Udo.

He was alleged to have converted some youths of the area to his church by assisting them with motorcycles for commercial business (Okada) and other forms of empowerment.

Udo , popularly known as Lucifer, was also said to have continued terrorizing the Ohafia community as no one dared to challenge him.

A youth leader in Ohafia, Egwu Ibem, told Vanguard that “everyone in Ohafia knew Ifekwe Udo did not mean well for Ohafia community with the nature of activities he was involved in. He was a bad influence on the community, especially our youths. Some of the youths started joining him because he was empowering them with motorcycles for Okada business. There are reports that he used charmed (juju) on his followers. He also established a brothel in the community.

However, nemesis caught up with Lucifer as he was arrested by the Police in the state for violating the protocol on COVID-19.

Following his arrest, youths of the community summoned courage and stormed the church demolishing the various images located in the compound.

Vanguard gathered that the Ebem community erupted in celebrations as the various graven images were being demolished.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/we-were-scared-of-lucifer-church-of.html

Nigeria records 499 new cases of COVID-19, total now 30,748

Nigeria recorded 499 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing total cases reported in the country to 30,748.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said 12, 546 patients have been discharged upon treatment and recovery.

It added that 689 associated deaths have been recorded all over the country.

Below is the breakdown of cases recorded on Thursday:


Lagos-157
Edo-59
Ondo-56
Oyo-31
Akwa Ibom-22
Borno-21
Plateau-19
Kaduna-18
Katsina-18
Bayelsa-17
FCT-17
Delta-14
Kano-11
Rivers-10
Enugu-8
Ogun-6
Kwara-4
Imo-3
Nasarawa-2
Osun-2
Abia-1
Ekiti-1
Niger-1
Yobe-1

30748 confirmed
12546 discharged
689 deaths

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/nigeria-records-499-new-cases-of-covid.html

How Tinubu’s Bullion Van Money Landed Magu In More Trouble

The ongoing probe of Ibra­him Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is already raising dust in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the fate of Asiwaju Bola Tinu­bu, former governor of Lagos State and the party’s national leader.



Magu is currently being inves­tigated by a presidential panel led by Justice Ayo Salami over allegations levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Malami, in a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari, had recommended Magu’s sack. He anchored his recommendation on sev­eral grounds ranging from diversion of recovered loot to insubordination and mis­conduct.

Curiously, almost immediately after Magu’s ar­rest and detention, some protesters took to the streets of Abuja to demand the ar­rest of Tinubu over two bullion vans, believed to be conveying cash at his resi­dence on the eve of the 2019 general election.

In February, 2019, viral pictures on social media had shown the two bullion vans being driven into Tinubu’s residence as many people looked on outside the com­pound.

In response to the con­troversy generated by the incident, Tinubu had said the bullion vans contained money belonging to him and not the government.

He had said: “Excuse me, is it my money or govern­ment money? I don’t work for the government.

“I am not in an agency of government, and let any­one come out to say I have collected contract from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari or the APC in the last five years. They should prove it.

“I am on my own and I am committed to my party. So, even if I have money to spend on my premises, what is your headache?

“If I don’t represent any agency of government and I have money to spend – if I like, I give it to the people free of charge as long as it is not to buy votes.

“Who are those moni­toring my house or bullion vans? They must be mis­chief makers because they report falsehood. They are liars and idlers.”

However, a credible source in the presidency told Daily Independent that beyond what was publicly stated in Malami’s memo to the president, one major issue against Magu is his perceived selective investi­gation and refusal to investi­gate the bullion vans allega­tions even though President Buhari, who has made the war against corruption one of the three cardinal agenda of his administration, had given him “unfettered ac­cess to go all out and probe anyone irrespective of his status in the society”.

It would be re­called that in 2018, Magu had challenged those ques­tioning Tinubu’s source of wealth to write a petition and see if he would not act on it.

Magu had said: “You know what? If you are really interested, write a petition and see whether I won’t act.

“Go and write a petition and substantiate in the pe­tition and find out if I won’t act. It is not for us to listen to people on radio and begin to act.

“Yes, we have intelligence but the surest way to get ac­tion is to go and write a pe­tition and substantiate the contents of the petition and see whether I will not act.”

But surprisingly, despite several petitions on the need to in­vestigate the content of the bullion vans, Magu failed to act for unknown reasons.

When he was queried by journalists in November 2019 about the petition, he responded swiftly: “Do you want me to start discussing Tinubu’s petition here? No, I can’t. Next question.”

A source confirmed that though two petitions were written against Tinubu on the bullion vans, Magu was instructed to go ahead with his investigation and he set up two teams to probe the two petitions.

“He was instructed to go ahead with the two peti­tions and he actually set up two teams to investigate it. The outcome of the investi­gation is what he has failed to reveal.

“I want to believe with Magu’s exit, the new EFCC chairman will continue from where he stopped and I won’t be surprised if the bullion vans petitions are revisited.

“Nigerians want to know and the administration wants to prove a point that it is not selective in its an­ti-graft war.”

When contacted, a close associate of Tinubu said they believe that the protest in Abuja on the bullion vans was sponsored by some indi­viduals to embarrass Tinu­bu.

Garba Shehu, Senior Spe­cial Assistant to the Presi­dent on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday said he had not been briefed on who suc­ceeds Ibrahim Magu, sus­pended acting chairman of EFCC.

499 New Cases Of Coronavirus In Nigeria, Total Now 30,748

In the last 24 hours, 499 new cases of COVID19 were reported in Nigeria;
Lagos-157, Edo-59, Ondo-56, Oyo-31, Akwa Ibom-22, Borno-21, Plateau-19, Kaduna-18, Katsina-18, Bayelsa-17, FCT-17, Delta-14, Kano-11, Rivers-10, Enugu-8, Ogun-6, Kwara-4, Imo-3, Nasarawa-2, Osun-2, Abia-1, Ekiti-1, Niger-1, Yobe-1.

A total of 30,748 confirmed cases in Nigeria. The breakdown;

ASUU fumes as U.S. plans to deport 16,000 Nigerian students

The fate of over 16,000 Nigerian students in the United States is currently hanging in the balance as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moves to deport foreign students whose schools will switch to online classes due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The development, however, has drawn the ire of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which blamed the Federal Government for neglecting Nigeria’s educational system.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), which is run by ICE, in a new rule released on Monday, had said foreign nationals enrolled in U.S. educational institutions will have to transfer to in-person schools or take online classes outside the country. Otherwise, they will be deported. Also, the Department of State will no longer issue visas to students to attend schools that offer online classes only.

The statement reads in part: “The U.S. Department of State no longer issues visas to students enrolled in schools or programmes that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit such students to enter the United States.

“Active students who are currently in the United States and enrolled in such programmes must leave the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they will have to face immigration consequences.”

But in a telephone interview with The Guardian, ASUU President Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi recalled with regret “a time foreign students were coming to Nigerian universities. Students were coming from South Africa, Egypt and Ghana.”

According to him, “Today, the reverse is the case. In Ghana, more than half of the foreign students there are Nigerians. So, we can see that they are just harvesting our resources to fund their tertiary education. Why should Nigerians be going to the Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Togo, and Sudan to seek university education, not to talk of U.S.?”

ASUU’s incessant strikes are in the interest of students and their parents, he insisted, stressing that all the union is saying is: “Fix our laboratories, stock our libraries, renovate our workshops, supply facilities for e-learning and provide structures. Are those not the things they are enjoying there?”

The ASUU President said further: “Of course, the ruling class that can afford it are those sending their children to those distant places in America and Europe. The children of the poor are left to attend universities that are without facilities, universities that are not adequately staffed, and universities whose capacity for research have been dwindling. We think this is an opportunity for the Federal Government to sit back and address the problems in our university education and indeed Nigerian education as a whole.”

Also, former Minister of Education Prof. Chinwe Obaji wondered how courses like engineering and sciences that require practicals would be taught online. He called on government to make the universities attractive to Nigerian students abroad by tackling its many challenges, adding that COVID-19 is a temporary setback, which all nations would surmount in due course.

On his part, Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju, former Vice Chancellor at Caleb University, Imota, said: “The truth is that this situation is peculiar. It is unprecedented. It is not sustainable. In due course, we will conquer it. We once conquered the pandemic in 1819, Ebola, and we will surely conquer COVID-19. Nothing is permanent. It is true that online teaching would always continue but it can never take away the issues of face-to face interaction. For example, those students studying engineering in American universities and lab-based sciences, would they do all those things from a distance?”

He added: “We should adjust our curriculum to reflect the reality, mainly that we have to depend more and more, now, on online teaching. Secondly, we need to provide more infrastructure of online learning, ICT infrastructure essentially.

“Thirdly, we have to train people who can manage the infrastructure and those who want to teach on the platform because you can’t teach on the platform the way you teach in conventional classrooms. This is not a permanent situation but the world has to adapt to it.”

Most U.S. colleges and universities have not yet announced their plans for the fall semester but a number of schools are looking at a hybrid model of in-person and online instruction while some, including Harvard University, have said all classes will be conducted online.

Nigeria currently has the highest number of students from Africa studying in the U.S. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Nigeria had 16,039 students as at 2019.

The agency said: “There are over 36,000 students from Sub-Saharan Africa studying in the U.S. As of March 2019, there were 16,039 students from Nigeria studying in the United States with 54 per cent male and 46 per cent female.

“This is an increase of 3,342 students over 12,693 students recorded in November 2018. Undergraduate students constituted 34 per cent; Masters students 36 per cent; doctorate formed 12 per cent; while associate was 12 per cent. Non-degree and others formed five per cent.”

According to the agency, the top five states for Nigerian students in the U.S. include Texas with 2,713; California, 856 students; Maryland, 827 students; New York, 818 students; and Florida, 753 students.

Also, the over 16,000 Nigerians currently studying in the U.S. contributed $514 million to the U.S. economy in 2018, according to official data from the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The report indicates that Nigeria was the 11th leading place of origin for foreign students in the U.S. as of the 2018/2019 session. It accounted for 1.2 per cent of the total number of 1,095,299 international students in the country.

A breakdown of the figure shows that 5,689 of Nigerian students were at the undergraduate level; 5,274 at graduate level; 367 were non-degree students; and 2,093 were on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

OPT is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students work for one year on a student visa toward acquiring practical training to complement their education.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/asuu-fumes-as-us-plans-to-deport-16000.html

South Korean mayor takes own life after s.e.xual harassment allegations

The mayor of Seoul, a contender to be South Korean next president and a former human rights lawyer, took his own life a day after he was accused of s.e.xual harassment, authorities said Friday.

Park Won-soon, whose body was recovered on a mountain in the capital, is by far the most high-profile politician to be implicated in a harassment case in South Korea, a highly patriarchal society where the #MeToo movement has led to the fall of scores of prominent men in multiple fields.

Park offered a general apology in a suicide note — handwritten with ink and brush — found at his official residence and released by city authorities.

“I’m sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life,” he wrote, asking to be cremated and his ashes scattered at his parents’ graves. “I’m sorry to my family, to whom I only caused pain.”

“Bye everyone,” he signed off, without referring to the allegations against him.

A heavyweight figure in the ruling centre-left Democratic party, Park ran South Korea’s sprawling capital — home to almost a fifth of the national population — for nearly a decade.

He won three elections while promoting gender and social equality, and did not shy away from expressing his ambitions to replace incumbent President Moon Jae-in in 2022.

His death came a day after his former secretary filed a police complaint said to involve s.e.xual harassment against him.

According to a document purporting to be the statement of Park’s victim, who worked as his personal secretary from 2015, he committed “s.e.xual harassment and inappropriate gestures during work hours”, including insisting she hug him in the bedroom adjoining his office.

After work, she said, he sent her “selfies of himself in his underwear and lewd comments” on a messenger app.

“I brainwashed myself, bearing tremendous fear and humiliation, that all of this was in the interest of Seoul City, myself, and mayor Park,” she said, according to the document.

The police confirmed a complaint had been filed but declined to confirm the details.

Park’s death means the investigation will automatically be closed.

South Korea remains male-dominated despite its economic and technological advances, but the country has seen a widespread #MeToo movement in the last two years, sparked by a prosecutor who publicly accused a superior of groping her at a funeral.

The perpetrators have included a former provincial governor who sought the presidency in 2017 but was jailed last year for s.e.xual intercourse by abuse of authority after his female assistant accused him of repeatedly raping her.

Park is the country’s highest-profile politician to die by his own hand since former president Roh Moo-hyun, who jumped off a cliff in 2009 after being questioned over corruption allegations involving family members.

– Jailhouse to courthouse –
Park was a student activist in the days of South Korea’s military dictatorship he was jailed for taking part in a rally against then-president Park Chung-hee and later became a human rights lawyer.

He defended many political activists and in the 1990s won South Korea’s first s.e.xual harassment conviction, in a landmark judgement.

He helped launch the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, an influential NGO pushing to reform the conglomerates that dominate South Korean business.

Park also founded the Beautiful Foundation a philanthropic group that promotes volunteerism and community service.

It grew into one of the largest non-profit organisations in South Korea and launched the Beautiful Stores, a chain of charity shops modelled after Britain’s Oxfam shops.

Reactions were mixed on Friday, including both condolences and criticism that he killed himself to avoid punishment.

There was an outpouring of grief from his supporters, some of whom wailed at Seoul National University Hospital as his body was brought in.

“Mayor Park, you were an excellent politician,” one poster wrote on Daum, the country’s second-largest portal site.

“But a twist of fate put an end to your journey. I hope you are at ease in heaven.”

Others were more critical of the 64-year-old, accusing him of exploiting his power to harass a subordinate and then taking his own life to “avoid the fallout”.

“The victim must have had painful times in the run-up to the filing of the complaint,” wrote one user. “I hope Park reflects on his misdeeds and atones in the afterlife.”

A memorial altar was to be set up in front of the Seoul city hall for citizens to pay respects.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/south-korean-mayor-takes-own-life-after.html

Coronavirus hits Bolivia, President Anez, 7 ministers test positive

President Jeanine Anez of Bolivia announcing her coronavirus status on Thursday

Bolivia’s President Jeanine Anez said on Thursday she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

At least seven ministers, including its health minister, have also tested positive and were either undergoing treatment or recuperating at home.

Anez said in a tweet she was “well” and continuing to work while in isolation. “Together, we will come out of this,” she said.

She said she took a test after many of her team fell ill.

“I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis,” she said.

Bolivia is due to hold general elections on Sept. 6. The elections were originally planned for May but delayed due to the pandemic.

Political turmoil gripped the country last October when a disputed election led to widespread protests that eventually toppled longtime leftist leader Evo Morales.

Anez, a conservative former senator, assumed the interim president role in the political vacuum and initially said she would not run for full office, but later threw her hat in the ring.

Rival candidate and former President Jorge Tuto Quiroga, who is running again, said it was “indispensable” for Anez to be in full health and working towards the democratic transition.

Other leaders around the world also have contracted the virus.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 55, spent three days in intensive care sick with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, while Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro confirmed on Wednesday he had tested positive.

Bolivia, a landlocked Andean nation of over 11.5 million people has registered more than 42,000 confirmed cases of the disease and 1,500 deaths.

It is one of the worst affected countries per capita in the world.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/coronavirus-hits-bolivia-president-anez.html