Connect with us

latest

“Why I Banned Rice Imports” – Obasanjo Opens Up.

Published

on

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed Nigeria’s continued reliance on imported rice to the 1979 decision by a civilian government to reverse the ban his administration had imposed.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Obasanjo, who served as military Head of State before handing over to President Shehu Shagari in 1979, spoke on Thursday in Abuja at an international memorial lecture marking 50 years since the assassination of former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed.

He stated that by the time his government was preparing to leave office in July 1979, Nigeria was close to achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. According to him, a report on the state of cultivation at the time indicated the country would meet its needs that year. Based on those findings, his administration banned rice importation shortly before the transition to civilian rule in October 1979.

However, Obasanjo claimed that one of the first actions of the incoming civilian administration was to lift the ban in order to distribute import licences to political allies.

He recounted what he described as a case of misconduct involving a politically connected importer who allegedly asked American suppliers to inflate a rice contract by $5 million. The supplier reportedly complied to secure the deal, after which the importer sought a $2.5 million share of the added amount but received only $1 million. Obasanjo said the incident was later brought to the attention of Nigerian officials abroad, leaving the country embarrassed.

The former leader argued that the reversal of the rice import ban marked a turning point from which Nigeria has yet to recover, saying it is one reason the country continues to depend on imported rice decades later.

Advertisement

latest

No Need To Panic Over 2027 Election Postponement, SDP Assures Nigerians.

Published

on

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has said there is no reason to fear that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will postpone the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, stated this during an interview with Vanguard on Wednesday, in response to reports suggesting that the electoral body might shift the presidential election scheduled for January 16.

Aiyenigba said the SDP had not seen any credible indication that INEC was considering postponing the polls.

“For the SDP, there is no justifiable reason to entertain fears that the Commission could be tempted to postpone the scheduled 2027 general elections,” he said.

The party spokesman also addressed concerns surrounding reports of Ebola, noting that health authorities had dismissed the public health fears associated with the outbreak.

According to him, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had also strongly rejected claims that Ebola was being weaponised.

Aiyenigba maintained that the SDP had no credible reason to question INEC’s preparedness for the forthcoming elections.

“We are yet to have a credible reason to doubt the readiness of INEC for the general polls. The Commission has not given us any reason to be so concerned because there is no sign that surfaced,” he stated.

He further argued that the prevailing security situation had not reached a point that would justify postponing the elections.

Addressing concerns about the implementation of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the delay in displaying the voters’ register, Aiyenigba said the issue had been addressed by the commission.

He explained that INEC had uploaded the preliminary voters’ register to its online portal, a move he said had helped resolve concerns over the delay.

“It is also necessary to note that the worries that have been variously expressed about the lack of implementation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the delay in the display of the voters’ register, have been addressed by the Commission with the online upload of the preliminary voters register on its portal,” he said.

The SDP spokesman added that although the party would continue to monitor developments, it remained optimistic that the 2027 general elections would take place as scheduled.

“While the SDP remains vigilant and will keep its eyes on the ball, the party remains optimistic and positive-minded that nothing will impede the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections,” he said.

Aiyenigba stressed that conducting the elections successfully, fairly and credibly was in the best interest of the country.

Continue Reading

latest

Cristiano Ronaldo Crowned Winner Of ‘Ballon d’Or Of All Time’.

Published

on

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign has been voted the greatest season in the history of the prestigious award in a fan poll organised by French magazine France Football to celebrate its 70th anniversary.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Portuguese superstar emerged at the top of the Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) ranking, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 campaign, while Ronaldo’s 2017 triumph secured third place.

Football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano announced the results on social media on Wednesday, October 28, following the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Messi’s 2023 campaign ranked fourth, while Ronaldo’s 2016 season came fifth. Other campaigns by the two football icons also featured prominently in the top 10, with Ronaldo’s 2014 and 2013 victories making the list alongside Messi’s 2015, 2011 and 2009 seasons.

The ranking featured 32 Ballon d’Or-winning campaigns involving 10 football legends, with fans voting for the individual seasons they considered the greatest in the award’s history.

Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 following an exceptional season with Manchester United, scoring 42 goals across all competitions and helping the English club secure both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles.

The Portuguese forward also finished as the Premier League’s leading scorer with 31 goals and claimed the European Golden Shoe during the 2007/08 campaign.

His remarkable performances earned him 446 points in the original Ballon d’Or voting, placing him ahead of Messi, who finished second.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star went on to win the award four more times, in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, taking his overall tally to five.

Messi, meanwhile, remains the competition’s most successful player, having won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times. His 2023 victory followed Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Elsewhere in the ranking, Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário’s 2002 campaign finished 13th, while Johan Cruyff’s 1974 season placed 17th. Michel Platini’s 1984 triumph came 18th, ahead of Franz Beckenbauer’s 1976 campaign.

The poll focused on individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons rather than players’ overall careers. It was independent of the official annual award, which is determined by a jury of specialist journalists.

Continue Reading

latest

I Wish I Had Known – Blessing CEO Recounts Late Son’s Dream Before His Death.

Published

on

Controversial relationship therapist Blessing CEO has revealed that her late nine-year-old son, Bryan, reportedly told some family members that he had dreamt about his own death before he passed away.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a video shared on her Instagram page, Blessing CEO said she recently learnt about the dream from her first son, Darrell.

According to her, Darrell recounted that Bryan once woke up and told him he had dreamt that he died.

However, Blessing CEO said she was unaware of the incident while her son was still alive. She explained that she only discovered what had happened after his death, while reflecting on events that occurred before he passed away.

She added that her younger sister, Precious, also confirmed the account, saying Bryan had run into her room on the same day to tell her about the dream.

Precious reportedly responded by praying for him and reassuring him, while Bryan also shared the experience with their father. Blessing CEO, however, said her son never told her about the dream.

Speaking in the video, she said: “Especially to mothers, please pick this as a lesson. When my son Bryan was still alive, it was recently that my first son Darrell said that there was a day Bryan woke up and said that he told him that he dreamt that he died.

“You know when a child says that kind of thing, you just tell them, ‘Shut up your mouth.’ My younger sister Precious also confirmed it. She said she woke up that day and Bryan ran to her room and told her, ‘Aunty Precious, I dreamt that I died.’

“Precious said that she just prayed for him and told him, ‘What do you know?’ He also told my father. But he never told me.”

Reflecting on her son’s death, Blessing CEO said she had been revisiting several memories and events in her mind since his passing.

She disclosed that Bryan had asthma, a condition she also lives with, but explained that she had learnt to manage hers as she grew older.

According to her, Bryan experienced severe asthma symptoms and was also very hyperactive.

Continue Reading

Trending