Incoming Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun in Ekiti Extends Heartfelt Independence Day Greetings to Nigerians at Home and Abroad.

Incoming Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun in Ekiti Extends Heartfelt Independence Day Greetings to Nigerians at Home and Abroad.

The incoming Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun in Ekiti State extends warm felicitations to Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion of Nigeria's Independence Day. In his message, he reflects on the significance of breakthrough, where enemies are conquered, barriers are dismantled, limitations are shattered, sin is vanquished, and success prevails. He extends these wishes for Nigeria, not just for October 2023 but for the future as well.

As Nigeria celebrates its Independence Day, the incoming Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun in Ekiti State joins the chorus of well-wishers in celebrating the nation's birthday. Drawing inspiration from the concept of breakthrough, he envisions a Nigeria where adversities are overcome and prosperity reigns supreme.

He begins his message with a heartfelt birthday wish for Nigeria, likening the nation's journey to the biblical story of Isaac's prayer for Esau, where the yoke is broken from the neck. In the same spirit, he prays for Nigeria to break free from the self-imposed yoke of bad leadership, corruption, and mismanagement of the abundant human and natural resources bestowed upon it.

The incoming Chairman expresses his hopes for a breakthrough in several critical areas, including sustainable power supply, well-maintained roads, an improved transportation system, robust economic growth, enhanced security, and the overall well-being and prosperity of Nigerian citizens.

In conclusion, he calls upon all Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to unite in the pursuit of these goals, and in doing so, to work towards a brighter future for Nigeria.

On this Independence Day, the incoming Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun in Ekiti State extends his warmest greetings and wishes for a breakthrough to Nigeria. He hopes that the nation will rise above its challenges and embrace a future filled with prosperity, unity, and progress.

President Tinubu Emphasizes Reforms and Unity in Independence Day Address.

President Tinubu Emphasizes Reforms and Unity in Independence Day Address.

In a heartfelt and comprehensive address to the nation on Nigeria's 63rd Independence Anniversary, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasized unity, progress, and reforms as the guiding principles for the future of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Tinubu commended the contributions of Nigeria's founding fathers and mothers, highlighting their dedication and leadership in the quest for sovereignty and independence.

See the full details below:

It is my unique honour to address you on this day, the 63rd anniversary of our nation’s independence, both as the President of our dear country and, simply, as a fellow Nigerian.

2. On this solemn yet hopeful day, let us commend our founding fathers and mothers. Without them, there would be no modern Nigeria. From the fading embers of colonialism, their activism, dedication and leadership gave life to the belief in Nigeria as a sovereign and independent nation.

3. Let us, at this very moment, affirm that as Nigerians, we are all endowed with the sacred rights and individual gifts that God has bestowed on us as a nation and as human beings. No one is greater or lesser than the other. The triumphs that Nigeria has achieved shall define us. The travails we have endured shall strengthen us. And no other nation or power on this earth shall keep us from our rightful place and destiny. This nation belongs to you, dear people. Love and cherish it as your very own. 

4. Nigeria is remarkable in its formation and essential character. We are a broad and dynamic blend of ethnic groups, religions, traditions and cultures. Yet, our bonds are intangible yet strong, invisible yet universal. We are joined by a common thirst for peace and progress, by the common dream of prosperity and harmony and by the unifying ideals of tolerance and justice.

5. Forging a nation based on the fair application of these noble principles to a diverse population has been a task of significant blessing but also serial challenge. Some people have said an independent Nigeria should never have come into existence. Some have said that our country would be torn apart. They are forever mistaken. Here, our nation stands and here we shall remain.

6. This year, we passed a significant milestone in our journey to a better Nigeria. By democratically electing a 7th consecutive civilian government, Nigeria has proven that commitment to democracy and the rule of law remains our guiding light.

7. At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernize our economy and to secure the lives, liberty and property of the people.

8. I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy. 

9. I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.

10. Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few. A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past.

11. There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.

12. My government is doing all that it can to ease the load. I will now outline the path we are taking to relieve the stress on our families and households.  

13. We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.

14. Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.

15. To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.

16. Making the economy more robust by lowering transport costs will be key. In this regard, we have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.

17. New CNG conversions kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs. This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history. 

18. I pledged a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the CBN had become. That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted. Also, my special investigator will soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences. Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy. 

19. Wise tax policy is essential to economic fairness and development. I have inaugurated a Committee on Tax Reforms to improve the efficiency of tax administration in the country and address fiscal policies that are unfair or hinder the business environment and slow our growth.

20. To boost employment and urban incomes, we are providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential. Similarly, we are increasing investment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

21. Commencing this month, the social safety net is being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programs to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.

22. My administration shall always accord the highest priority to the safety of the people. Inter-Service collaboration and intelligence sharing have been enhanced. Our Service Chiefs have been tasked with the vital responsibility of rebuilding the capacities of our security services.

23. Here, I salute and commend our gallant security forces for keeping us safe and securing our territorial integrity. Many have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We remember them today and their families. We shall equip our forces with the ways and means needed to perform their urgent task on behalf of the people, 

24. We shall continue to make key appointments in line with the provisions of the Constitution and with fairness toward all. Women, Youth and the physically challenged shall continue to be given due regard in these appointments.

25. May I take this opportunity to congratulate the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of this administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight.

26. I similarly congratulate the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness.

27. I also thank members of our dynamic civil society organizations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigerian democracy. We may not always agree but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect.

28. Fellow compatriots, the journey ahead will not be navigated by fear or hatred. We can only achieve our better Nigeria through courage, compassion and commitment as one indivisible unit.

29. I promise that I shall remain committed and serve faithfully. I also invite all to join this enterprise to remake our beloved nation into its better self. We can do it. We must do it. We shall do it.!!!

30. I wish you all a happy 63rd Independence Anniversary.

31. Thank you for listening.

32. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria, 22 others benefit from China access to satellite TV.

Nigeria, 22 others benefit from China access to satellite TV.

No fewer than  23 countries, including Nigeria have benefitted from the Chinese “Access to Satellite TV, The Nation learnt.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, announced the programme at the   Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

 The initiative which is being championed by StarTimes, the leading digit-TV operator in Africa is meant to  bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Africa.

According to a document by the Chinese Embassy in Abuja, the project is tagged “Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages.”

The document further revealed that “there shall be 10,112 rural villages of 23 African countries benefiting from the project. Each village is aided with two StarTimes Projector TVs, one 32 inch Digital TV set, and 20 DTH decoders with satellite dishes. Projector TVs and Digital TV sets are equipped with solar power systems and DTH access units. The Projector TVs and Digital TVs set are available in the public area of the village, like school or youth development committee, which allows all villagers to enjoy the wonderful digital TV programs of 20 channels including the national station, local channels and international channels.

“The “Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages” project has established a wide coverage of programme signals, a secure and reliable infrastructure network and a comprehensive operating system, enabling people in remote areas to have stable and long-term access to the world’s information, thus bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Africa.”

Credit: The Nation Newspaper. 

Monarch to Tinubu: renew license for Madewell, other cement factories.

Monarch to Tinubu: renew license for Madewell, other cement factories.

To reduce the soaring price of cement in Nigeria, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Monday Obukohwo Whiskey, Udurhie I, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to renew operating licenses of the six regional cement factories, including Madewell Portland Cement, closed down about 12 years ago.

He spoke while touring the abandoned Madewell factory located by the bank of River Ethiope in Jesse, Ethiope West council area of Delta state.

According to him, urgent renewal of the import licenses to the Cement New Entrants Forum of Nigeria (CNEFN), which has owner of Madewell and indigene of Idjerhe, Prince David Iweta as Chairman, would create thousands of jobs across the country.

According to him, on establishment, the factory created 2,000 direct jobs for people of the kingdom, as well as 10,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians.

The royal father expressed confidence that the Tinubu-led administration will listen” to the appeal.

He further disclosed that “out of the 500,000 metric tonnes that was approved for Madewell Portland Cement to import, only 50,000 metric tonnes of this came to Nigeria.

“As we speak, no two or three, or four companies can get enough cement to meet cement consumption for Nigerians. So the best decision the government took then was to ensure that there is a Portland Cement factory, one in each region that is outside the major players and the licenses that were issued to them were for them to first import cement.”

Late President Umaru Yar’ Adua had issued six companies representing the six geopolitical zones, three licenses each in order to bring down the prices of cement, but their licences were revoked when President Goodluck Jonathan came into power after the sudden death of his boss.

We’re intensifying measures to alleviate hardship, Tinubu assures.

We’re intensifying measures to alleviate hardship, Tinubu assures.

President Bola Tinubu has reassured Nigerians that his administration is already intensifying efforts to implement measures that will relieve citizens of the harsh conditions caused by the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of exchange rates.

Tinubu gave the assurance while speaking at the passing-out parade of Cadets of the 70 Regular Course, Direct Short Service Course 27 (Army) and Direct Short Service Course 31 (Air Force) of the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna. 

The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted however in tackling poverty inflicted on Nigerians by activities of the terror groups, he would treat every region equally and give them a sense of belonging in his government. 

The President, whose address was titled: “The Heroes of Nigeria’s Path to Prosperity and Security,” also restated his administration’s commitment to eliminating poverty, terrorism and all forms of criminality in Nigeria. 

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, justice is the mainstay of prosperity, and so we are going to be fair to each region. Whether in tackling the secessionist elements disrupting the peace and economic activities of the good people of the South-East or doubling up our efforts in winning the counter-insurgency in the North East, and whether in pursuing normalcy in the North-West or in making the farmer-herder crises a thing of the past in the North-Central, every group will be treated as equal and given a sense of belonging in our government. 

“While I acknowledge that we have made bold decisions to bolster our economy, even as some developed economies face the threat of recession, our commitment remains resolute. We are intensifying our efforts to implement tangible measures that will alleviate the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates. 

“Our immediate actions, such as reducing taxes on strategic manufacturing industries, distributing grains from the national reserve to vulnerable demographics, providing fertilizer and farm inputs, and extending soft loans to small and medium-scale industries, all serve as a clear message to our nation. 

“We stand firmly with our citizens, determined to guide our country towards a path of accelerated economic growth and opportunities, where no one lives on handouts,” he said.

Speaking on his administration’s determination to rid the country of poverty, terrorism and other forms of criminality, the President said “every day, every minute, we are reminded of the consequences of economic and social disintegration around us. This is why we favour cooperation and the formation of bilateral and multilateral alliances to create opportunities for our people. 

“We are implementing programmes and policies to empower our citizens to combat the challenges of poverty, criminality, and terrorism. From preparing for the food security crisis triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian war, to responding to banditry attacks on farmers, natural flood disasters, and the repercussions of military coups, this administration has remained vigilant in devising solutions to mitigate their impact and enhance national security,” he said.

As part of moves to deal decisively with the criminal elements, President Tinubu noted that his government has embarked on a new era in the country’s national defence and security strategy. 

This, he said, would be driven by a resolute commitment to confront the substantial threats and challenges that confront us within the West African sub-region. 

Credit: The Nation Newspaper. 

October Brings Blessings and Calls for Unity: A Message from Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James.

October Brings Blessings and Calls for Unity: A Message from Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James.

In a heartfelt message addressed to all, Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James, Director of Sky Media Consult, ushered in the new month of October with an outpouring of blessings and hopes for a brighter future. With sincere goodwill, he extended his wishes for goodness and God's mercy to touch the lives of everyone and their households.

Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James didn't stop at well-wishing; he went on to express his desire for prosperity, declaring that he hoped our "pastures will be GREEN" and that the "lines will fall in pleasant places." This sentiment of abundance and favor was underscored by his prayer for divine guidance and safety, emphasizing the importance of faith in navigating life's challenges.

Acknowledging significant milestones, Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James extended his congratulations to Nigerians on their Independence Day celebration and marked the 27th anniversary of Ekiti State's creation. These occasions served as a reminder of the nation's history and the need for unity.

In a plea to the nation's political leaders, he urged them to harness the country's resources for comprehensive development. His message resonated with a call for unity among Nigerians, emphasizing the importance of being each other's keepers. He encouraged citizens to come together as one family, one fold, to address the challenges facing the nation.

Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James, speaking on behalf of Sky Media Consult, drew attention to the cries of the people who suffer from hunger, unemployment, and insecurity. He called upon the government, irrespective of their diversity, to take meaningful actions to address these pressing issues, emphasizing the urgency of finding solutions to the nation's problems.

In this heartfelt message, Comrade Olamide Akinwumi James encapsulated the spirit of hope, unity, and collective responsibility that Nigerians need to embrace as they move forward into the new month and beyond.

Ekiti NYC Chairman Implores Government to Tackle Widespread Hunger on Independence Day.

Ekiti NYC Chairman Implores Government to Tackle Widespread Hunger on Independence Day.

In a heartfelt message on the occasion of Nigeria's 63rd Independence Day and Ekiti State's 27th Independence celebration, Aare Adedara Temitope Moses, Chairman of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Ekiti State Chapter, congratulated the people while raising crucial concerns about the nation's current state.

Aare Adedara Temitope, through his Chief Press Secretary, Comrade Oluwaseun Shedrack Akodu, began by acknowledging the progress the country and state have made, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts to reach the "promised land" of prosperity. He paid tribute to the sacrifices of Nigeria's forefathers in building the nation and the resilience shown in overcoming numerous challenges to remain united.

In Pic: Aare Adedara Temitope Moses, Chairman of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Ekiti State Chapter.

However, he did not shy away from addressing the pressing issues plaguing Nigeria today. Aare Adedara Temitope expressed alarm at the widespread hunger and the burden of high living costs, mainly attributed to the removal of fuel subsidies. He warned that prolonged neglect of these issues might lead to unrest, stating, "an hungry man is an angry man."

Aare Adedara Temitope Moses called upon the government and concerned stakeholders to take urgent and proactive measures to alleviate the suffering of the people. He pointed out that the current minimum wage is insufficient to meet basic needs and stressed that the youth, as the pulse of the nation, are feeling the impact, potentially resulting in unfavorable reactions.

Highlighting the need for unity, Aare Adedara Temitope Moses referenced the divisive tendencies that emerged during the recent general election but commended the country for standing stronger together. He expressed gratitude to the nation's leaders who are tirelessly working towards growth and unity, encouraging them to continue their efforts.

In conclusion, Aare Adedara Temitope Moses extended his congratulations to the people of Nigeria and Ekiti State on their independence milestones while urging swift action to address the pressing issues facing the nation. His message served as a reminder of the challenges ahead and the necessity for proactive solutions to secure a better future for all.