The 35th National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) continues to excite Nigerians as the display of Nigerian creativity in indigenous fabric designs left many marveled. This is due to the level of creativity displayed by various states that had used local fabrics peculiar to their state to make different costumes. The indigenous fabric and fashion competition segment of the festival held at National Stadium, Lagos, had the states of Bayelsa, Delta, Ogun, Kogi, Ekiti and Kwara exhibit their wealth of creativity. Delta, known as the Big Heart state, took creativity to another level as they exhibited local fabrics used…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Experts say the outbreak of COVID-19 nearly three years ago has triggered a greater appreciation of the importance of health security and intelligence capabilities. The pandemic highlighted how devastating an infectious disease can be within a short period of time and its potential impact on the global economy. It also showed how it can dramatically change our daily lives and social interaction. To forestall an impact of a similar magnitude, experts say it is important that developing countries upgrade their health personnel, infrastructure, and institutions. Due to their weak health infrastructure, developing countries such as Nigeria are vulnerable to biological…
The FAME Foundation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) School for the Blind Children, Jabi in Abuja, have extolled the virtues of a business mogul, Chief Femi Otedola, on his 60th birthday. The Executive Director of the foundation, Ms Aderonke Bello, spoke on Thursday at the celebration of Otedola’s birthday in the FCT School for the Blind Children in Abuja. Bello said the foundation decided to celebrate Otedola’s birthday in the school in view of his charity to the less privileged, especially persons with disabilities in the country. According to her, this is done under the foundation’s programme known as “HerSTEM Initiative” aimed…
The Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) has called on the Federal and State Governments to provide more grants to farmers to boost food production and end hunger. Hajiya Fatima Abdu, SWOFON Treasurer and a farmer made the call in an interview in Bauchi on Friday. ”Governments need to break the barriers that are holding back women farmers and preventing them from accessing critical farming inputs. “They should ensure women have secured land rights and also provide women with vital funding and support for farming to adapt to climate change. “Such support would protect women’s rights and boost productivity. It…
The risk of death, hospitalisation and serious health issues from COVID-19 jumps significantly with reinfection compared with a first bout with the virus, regardless of vaccination status. A study published on Thursday suggested. “Reinfection with COVID-19 increases the risk of both acute outcomes and long COVID,” said Dr Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “This was evident in unvaccinated, vaccinated and boosted people.” The findings were drawn from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data collected from March 1, 2020 through April 6, 2022 on 443,588 patients with one SARS-CoV-2 infection. While 40,947 with two…
Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello has said that strengthening the electoral process at the local government level will boost the country’s democracy. He disclosed this shortly after casting his vote for the local government election at the Alkali Mustapha Polling, Kontagora on Saturday. According to him, “If democracy must be practised, it should be done rightly without depriving the people their right to choose their leaders. “It is very unfair when you deprive people at the local government levels their right to choose their leaders; we must support this to become a democratic country,” he said. The governor added that…
By Justina Auta The African Union (AU) has urged politicians and other stakeholders to make personal commitments and conviction to end child marriages. The union also urged them to commit to ending harmful practices against women and girls on the continent and even beyond. Ms Hermaine Kembo, the AU Commission Special Rapporteur on Ending Child Marriage and Other Harmful Practices, made the call during a monitoring and evaluation visit to Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMoWA) in Abuja on Thursday. She also met with representatives of Federal Ministries of Health and that of Education. Kembo, who decried the long-term effects…
By Aminu Garko A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger, Nma Kolo has said that Sen. Bola Tinubu’s plan to revamp the agriculture sector of Nigeria’s economy will be the nation’s path to greatness. Kolo told newsmen in Minna on Friday that Tinubu has the political ability to reposition agriculture sector for optimal growth. He explained that because of the hope the manifesto of the APC Presidential Candidate has raised in citizens, there was need for all eligible Nigerians to vote massively for the party in the 2023 general election. “The manifesto of Tinubu, APC presidential candidate…
By Aminu Garko The Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has concluded arrangement to set up anti corruption unit in the commission. The Managing Director of the commission, Abubakar Yelwa disclosed this at a two day workshop in collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Strict Compliance with Asset Declaration Conduct for the staff of HYPPADEC in Minna on Friday. Yelwa warned staff against any form of corrupt practices while discharging their official responsibility. He explained that any staff found wanting would be shown the way out of the system. He said it’s their concern to ensure every staff…
ASHENEWS reports that a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and now of Anambra state, Prof. Charles Soludo has thrown his weight behind the Naira design project of the apex bank, saying it is within its province to do so. Soludo who featured on ChannelsTV’s Politics Today programme on Thursday night also reminded that during his time, the Naira was redesigned. The former CBN governor, who didn’t want to comment on the issue, emphasized that it is within the responsibility of it to redesign the Naira, adding that Anambra state will appropriately respond to the new policy…