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A 24-year-old recent graduate, identified as Itz Rog Royal, from the department of Electrical Engineering, Auchi Polytechnic has passed away in a fatal accident in Edo State just a day after his graduation last week.
His friend Oluwa Prince, who took to his facebook page to mourn him and also shared graphic photos from the scene, wrote:

‘It’s still a shock to me that my friend rog is dead what a big lost to the department of electrical/electronics engineering a day after signing out… RIP it’s rog Itz Rog Royal forever in our heart.. Sleep on SEES MAN’

May his soul rest in peace (Amen)
See picture from the scene below…
http://massmediang.com/pathetic-24-year-old-auchi-poly-student-dies-a-day-after-graduation/

There was confusion in Ogba as a married woman with kids and her lover were found dead in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The man who laid stiff as he was holding dearly his genitals while the woman who was on blue gown with her pant off appeared to have been having sex before their death.
The husband to the deceased woman who testified to be aware of his wife’s infidelity with the lover (who was later confirmed to be his landlord’s son) seems to be astounded by their mysterious death.

The adulterous lovers were found by passersby on Sunday morning and reported to the police.
The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said that the corpses had been taken to the mortuary. “Yes, it is true,” he said. Adding that “when information got to the Area Command, our men raced to the scene and took the corpses to the mortuary.”
Mr. Famous-Cole said the Police have commenced further investigations and an autopsy will be carried out on the corpse.

BY UDEKWE PRECIOUS NNEKA

You won’t believe the hilarious reason why a popular Ghanaian boxer began to bleach in the first place.
Ghanaian boxer, Braimah Kamoko, also known as Bukom Banku has said he regrets bleaching, according to a report by AdomNews. The boxer who had been flaunting his heavily bleached skin some months back had admitted that he was bleaching to become Ghana’s ambassador to Germany.
“I am bleaching myself for German people to know that German peo­ple and Bukom Banku are one…. So if you see me now, you will observe that I am from Germany. I want Ghanaians to know that I am a German now,” he said.
But, after going at it for months now, he had now advised people not to bleach because of the adverse consequences.
Banku gave the advice while chatting with Bola Ray on Starr Chat on Wednesday, October 25. Banku said he was inspired by the fairer skin of musicians such as Michael Jackson and Daddy Lumba, but has now realized bleaching is not a good thing and regrets it.
“I stopped bleaching long ago. You know Daddy Lumba and Michael Jackson were looking nice and I admired them so I also started bleaching and people started praising me…they called me ‘Banku Fresh’ and the likes and I was happy but after I stopped bleaching the name changed to ‘Banku black, banku dirty’. I now fear Ghanaians because the same people who will praise you are the same people who will turn around and insult you. I want to tell Ghanaians that bleaching is not good even if you give me $10,000.000 million, I won’t bleach,” Bukom told Bola Ray.
Banku, a former WBO Africa Cruiserweight champion suffered a humiliating defeat to former Ghana Amateur boxing team captain, Bastie Samir in the cruiserweight non-title bout held at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra on Saturday, 21 October 2017.

You won’t believe the hilarious reason why a popular Ghanaian boxer began to bleach in the first place.
Ghanaian boxer, Braimah Kamo
“I am bleaching myself for German people to know that German peo­ple and Bukom Banku are one…. So if you see me now, you will observe that I am from Germany. I want Ghanaians to know that I am a German now,” he said.
But, after going at it for months now, he had now advised people not to bleach because of the adverse consequences.
Banku gave the advice while chatting with Bola Ray on Starr Chat on Wednesday, October 25. Banku said he was inspired by the fairer skin of musicians such as Michael Jackson and Daddy Lumba, but has now realized bleaching is not a good thing and regrets it.
“I stopped bleaching long ago. You know Daddy Lumba and Michael Jackson were looking nice and I admired them so I also started bleaching and people started praising me…they called me ‘Banku Fresh’ and the likes and I was happy but after I stopped bleaching the name changed to ‘Banku black, banku dirty’. I now fear Ghanaians because the same people who will praise you are the same people who will turn around and insult you. I want to tell Ghanaians that bleaching is not good even if you give me $10,000.000 million, I won’t bleach,” Bukom told Bola Ray.
Banku, a former WBO Africa Cruiserweight champion suffered a humiliating defeat to former Ghana Amateur boxing team captain, Bastie Samir in the cruiserweight non-title bout held at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra on Saturday, 21 October 2017.
ko, also known as Bukom Banku has said he regrets bleaching, according to a report by AdomNews. The boxer who had been flaunting his heavily bleached skin some months back had admitted that he was bleaching to become Ghana’s ambassador to Germany.

 http://massmediang.com/na-wa-o-i-regret-bleaching-my-skin-laments-popular-ghanaian-boxer-says-he-was-bleaching-to-become-ghanas-ambassador-to-germany/
         
by OKEKE TINA

An amateur photographer from Vietnam, Quoc Nguyen Linh Vinh, has won the 2017 edition of Environmental Photographer of the yea award given by the Chattered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).
Launched in 2007 by CIWEM, the award showcases the best environmental photographs around the world by amateur and professional photographers, reports The Telegraph.
Vinh warn the award this yea for his “Hopeful eyes of the girl making a living by rubbish” photograph.
Taken in a waste dump of the city of Kun Tum, Vietnam, the photograph shows a mother and her child making a living from collecting waste.
While describing their experience while taking the picture, Vinh said, “the child was happy, looking at the dark clouds and chatting to her mother. This was touching. She should have been enjoying her childhood and playing with friends rather than being here.”

It was end of the road for an Italian man who became a sex rascal by infecting more than 30 women with the HIV virus.
Valentino Talluto, a 33-year-old accountant was sentenced on Friday to 24 years in prison after having unprotected sex with the women despite knowing that he was HIV positive,  for  a court ruled.
The Telegraph reports that Talluto seduced dozens of women via social networks for a decade before his arrest in November 2015. Police believe he had sex with at least 53 women during that time, passing on the virus to 32 of them.

Fresh statistics have revealed that London is now more crime ridden and dangerous than New York City, with rape, robbery and violent offences far higher in that city.
The latest statistics, published earlier this week, revealed that crime across the UK was up by 13 per cent, with a surge in violence in the capital blamed for much of the increase.
Seizing on the figures, US President, Donald Trump, claimed the rise could be linked to the “spread of radical Islam”, adding that it demonstrated the need to “keep America safe”.

A bizarre incident took place in West Russia where a disgusted girlfriend dumped her partner after he was allegedly caught on camera having sex with a horse .
The pervert, who has not been named, lit a cigarette and smiled after the apparent indecent act on a farm.
Other cameras reportedly captured the man igniting the inferno near the oil-rich city of Ufa, west Russia, UK Mirror reports.

The clip allegedly shows the man “pushing a mare into the corner of an outside arena, first touching her with his fingers, and then having sex with her.”
“A young man who was shown setting the hay on fire did so right after having sex with one of mares. Whatever got into his head is still not clear.
“He has a girlfriend – or rather he did have a girlfriend,” said a Russian news report. The man was immediately recognised by officers, who have arrested him on suspicion of arson and may face further charges of abusing an animal.
His girlfriend was “inconsolable, furious and humiliated,” according to reports.
Social media users were also sickened.

Nollywood actress, Cossy Ojiakor is about to undergo butt enlargement process, and she seems to be serious about this. The busty actress shared photos from the hospital, ready to have her butt enlarged.
She cited her reason for doing this, claiming she wants her backside to be aligned with her busty chest, so she can be hell one of a goddess.
The actress, who recently asked her fans’ opinion on getting a larger butt, revealed she was finally going ahead with it. She shared photos from theatre as the staff made preparations for the surgical procedure and asked her fans to wish her luck.

“It’s going down today….. Gat enough fat for my bbl….hahaha so today gonna be my brand new butt birthday,” she captioned the clip.

See more screenshots from the video below;



http://massmediang.com/imagine-cossy-ojiakor-shares-video-begging-fans-for-prayers-as-she-prepares-for-butt-enlargement-surgery/
           
        
BY UDEKWE PRECIOUS NNEKA

It was a show of shame as a teacher identified as Preye Joseph, was brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for stealing six bottles of perfume and a wristwatch valued at N140, 000 from a doctor’s house.

lecture was scheduled by 8;00 by the lecturer but so many student  came late to the lecture hall, some said they thought the lecture was schedule by 9;00 the lecturer go upset because he felt the sudent are being unserious with their studies he ordered the doors to be shut down no late comer was allowed in his lecture hall any student that came late was ask to stay outside till the lecture is over  quizez were given out grade were recorded so many student went home with a sad face.

the class was scheduled by 8;00am this morning but many student did not come at that exact time because they taught the lecture was by 9;00am while others who knew the actual time feel relax at home thinking that the lecturer [Dr nwabueze] won,t come to school because of the departmental election.                                                      
              
BY EZEOGIDI JANEFRANCES 44

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has released details of Online registration for 2017 Batch ‘B’ corps members to begin on October 24, 2017.
The timetable released by the scheme stated that the online registration for foreign and locally trained graduates will begin on October 24.
It also stated that prospective corps members will be able to print their call-up letters from Nov 13.
Read also: Misau to address Senate Panel on Tuesday
However, the date when the orientation exercise will begin was not included.
The mobilization details therefore include:
1. Briefing/Sensitization of Final year students/prospective corps Members from 12th Oct to 10th Nov 2017
2. Display of list of all approved programmes for institutions on NYSC portal for cross checking and feedback from 12th to 15th Oct. 2017
3. Collation of Prospective Corps Members’ Data by Corps Producing Institutions CPIs from 12th to 15th Oct. 2017
4. Uploading of Senate/Academic Board Approved Results for Full/Part-Time Graduates and Revalidation Lists by CPIs from 16th to 21st Oct. 2017
5. Submission of Senate/Academic Board Approved Results for Full/Part-Time Graduates and Revalidation Lists by CPIs from 20th to 23rd Oct. 2017
6. On-line Registration by Foreign and locally Trained Nigerian Graduates from 24th October to 12th November 2017
7. Entertainment of complaints from Prospective Corps Members by the state Deployment and Relocation officers and NYSC Help Lines/Desks officers from 23rd October to 12th November 2017
8. Forwarding of Complaints to Mobilisation Dept by State Deployment and Relocation officers from 23rd October to 12th November 2017
9. Deployment and Printing of Call-up Letters by ICT Department from 13th to 17th Nov, 2017
10. Notification/On-line Printing of Call-up Letters/Delivery of Call-up letters to Institutions (stream I) from 17th to 20th Nov, 2017
11. Online Printing of Deployment Disposition by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) from 18th to 21st Nov, 2017
12. 2017 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course
Graduates are to visit the Nysc portal via www.nysc.org.ng for online registration and bio-metric data capture.
Here is a list of requirements that will qualify you for registration and mobilization.
1. Prospective Corps members should ensure that they have functional e-mail addresses that they can access and Nigerian (GSM) telephone numbers with which to register.
2. Locally trained prospective Corps members are expected to use correct Matriculation numbers to register
3. For locally-trained graduates, only those whose names appear in the Senate/Academic Board Approved Result lists submitted by their Institutions will have access to the register on the NYSC portal.
4. Foreign-trained prospective corps members should ensure that their Institutions are accredited. Where in doubt, it is their responsibility to approach Federal Ministry of Education for verification. The letter of verification must be uploaded during registration.
5. Those who graduated from Institutions outside Nigeria, (Foreign-trained graduates), are to visit the NYSC portal, register and upload the following documents:
1. West African School Certificate (WASC) (with not less than 5 Credits at 2 sittings) or its equivalent; or General Certificate of Education (GCE O’ Level) (with not less than 5 Credits at 2 sittings) or its equivalent; or NECO (with not less than 5 Credits at 2 sittings) or its equivalent; or High School Diploma or its equivalent.
2. First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) Certificate (Second Degree or Ph.D not necessary).
3. Transcript of the first Degree or HND.
4. International travelling Passport showing data page and date of departure for the course of study.
6. It is the responsibility of the prospective corps members who studied in non-English speaking countries to get their Certificates and Transcripts translated into English language before uploading.
7. All graduates of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Physiotheraphy, Radiology, Optometry, Medical Laboratory Science and Pharmacy are expected to have their Certificates of Registration with their professional bodies. Payment receipts are not acceptable.
8. Unlike in the past, Foreign-trained graduates should NOT visit NYSC Headquarters, Abuja for verification of their documents. This exercise will now be done at the Orientation Camps. They should simply print their call-up letters on-line and report at the Orientation camps in their States of deployment, but should come to the camp with the original documents they uploaded for verification.
9. Anybody who presents any fake document will be demobilized and decamped.
10. Prospective corps members should ensure that Passport photographs used meet the following specifications:
1. Ensure your face (eyes, nose, ears, mouth and jaw) is fully shown without bending
2. Ensure the picture fills the frame and centralized
3. Ensure the Photo background is white or off-white with no shadow.
11. On no account should prospective corps members register by PROXY. They should also remember the fingers used for their biometric capturing as these will be used for verification at the orientation camps. Those who cannot be verified with their biometric at the orientation camp will not be registered.
12. Only prospective corps members who want their call-up numbers sent to them through SMS and wish to PRINT their call-up letters on-line are expected to pay (see NYSC Portal on how to make payment).
13. Prospective Corps members, who do not want to pay, have the option of going to their schools to collect their call-up numbers and call-up letters.
14. All prospective corps members who paid for the online registration before but were not mobilized need not pay again.
15. Married female prospective corps members (whether locally or foreign-trained) should upload copies of their marriage Certificates, evidence of Change of name and their husbands’ place of domicile during registration.
16. The orientation camp is highly not ideal for pregnant and nursing mothers. Prospective corps members in this category are therefore to note that they will not be accommodated.


BY OGBONNA DIVINE

-NSE partially lifts suspension on Oando’s shares.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) says it has partially lifted the suspension placed on shares belonging to Oando Plc.
A statement signed by Tinuade Awe, general counsel, head of regulation, NSE revealed that shareholders can now trade their shares but notified that such trading activity will not lead to a change in price.
“Dealing members are referred to our market bulletins of Wednesday, October 18, 2017 (NSE/LARD/LRD/MB05/17/10/18) notifying them that effective Friday, October 20, 2017 and until further directive, the shares of Oando Plc (“Oando” or “the company”) will be placed on technical suspension; and that of Friday, October 20, 2017 (NSE/LARD/LRD/MB07/17/10/20) informing them that the shares of Oando were still on full suspension as the process of converting from full to technical suspension was yet to be completed” the statement read.“Please be informed that effective today, Monday, October 23, 2017; the shares of Oando Plc have been placed on technical suspension. Thus, the shares will be available for trading but there will be no price movement while the technical suspension subsists.”

Former Peoples Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, has requested the permission of a Federal High Court in Abuja, to summon ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as a witness in his ongoing trial.
Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu revealed to the court that he had written to Jonathan to that effect, however,  he was yet to get the response of Jonathan.
Ikpeazu aimed at applying for subpoena to be issued on the former president , in the same way the defence did on detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki(rtd).
During the case presided over by Justice Abang Okon , Ikpeazu said, “We have another witness on subpoena, and at the end of the evidence of this another witness, we will take a decision on whether or not the first defendant (Metuh) will testify.
“The other witness we want to subpoena is Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We wrote him a letter but he did not respond and our plan will be to apply for the subpoena after the first application (for subpoena to be issued on Dasuki).”
Metuh’s lawyer said the former NSA was expected to be the next witness to testify for the defence,. However, Dasuki was not present in court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, indiceted Metuh over the receival of N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, without carrying out any contract in 2015.
The commission alleged that  fund released to Metuh and his firm by the former NSA,  was part of $2.1billion allocated for the purchase of arms to tackle insurgency in the North East.

BY PAUL VANESSA

The Anambra State Police Command gunned down a man fleeing with 15 bags of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp at Tarzan Junction, on the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway at about 6pm on Friday.
Naija News gathered that the incident led to an uproar in the area during which a police patrol van and other valuables were set ablaze.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Nkeiruka Nwode, who described the incident as unfortunate, told Punch that a police patrol team on a stop-and-search duty had attempted to stop a driver in a Toyota Camry car for routine check, but the driver declined to stop and be searched.
The PPRO said the police had to chase the suspect from the DMGS Junction and eventually caught up with him at Tarzan Junction where the suspect resisted their attempt to search his car which led to a brawl. The police therefore, shot the victim and he died instantly.
She said: “At about 1800hrs of 20/10/2017, a police patrol team on a stop-and-search duty stopped the driver of a Toyota Camry vehicle for routine check.
“However, the driver failed to stop as directed. He was chased by the police team from Dennis Memorial Grammar School Roundabout, Onitsha, and subsequently arrested at Tarzan Junction, Nkpor as a result of traffic build-up.
“In a bid to search the vehicle properly, a melee ensued and the driver was shot by the policemen. Unfortunately, the driver died on the spot.
“A thorough search of the vehicle revealed 15 bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. Consequently, an angry mob set ablaze a security pick-up van that was seen approaching the junction. The driver of the vehicle escaped unhurt.
“Sadly, a motor boy in an approaching trailer, on sighting the angry mob, jumped down from the trailer and lost his life on the spot. He was reported to have been crushed to death by a hit-and-run vehicle.”
Nwode said the police officers involved in the incident were undergoing interrogation, adding that “some miscreants, unaware of the true facts behind the incident, took advantage of the situation and gathered for a mob action.”
She therefore, appealed to members of the public, especially those who witnessed the incident, to feel free to provide any useful information to the police to further enhance their investigation.

BY EZEOGIDI JANEFRANCES

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate disengagement from service of Mr Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms.
This was contained in a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina.
The president, in a memo sent to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, also demanded a full report of the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior.
Naija News gathered that the report will be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, before end of today, Monday, October 23, 2017.

BY CHINWEBU TOBECHI

-Gifty slams Nigerian musicians that infuse Ghana tunes in their songs. 

Former Big Brother Naija 2017 housemate, Gifty, has called out certain Nigerian Musicians for infusing their songs with the ‘Ghana tune’.
She claims their action is a sign that they are not proud of Nigerian dialects.
She however, reserved special praises for musicians such as  Adekunle Gold, Olamide, Flavour and Phyno for promoting Nigeria’s culture by singing with dialects/traditional languages.
See what she shared below:
She claims their action is a sign that they are not proud of Nigerian dialects.
She however, reserved special praises for musicians such as  Adekunle Gold, Olamide, Flavour and Phyno for promoting Nigeria’s culture by singing with dialects/traditional languages.
See what she shared below:

BY ONUCHUKWU CHIKA

-Aggrieved militants vow to resume militant activities if government fail to resume payment of their monthly stipends.
-They blamed government officials in charge of the amnesty programme of diversion of funds.

Some aggrieved ex-militants under the Phase II of the federal government’s amnesty programme, on Monday threatened to return to the cricks and resume violence over government’s failure to pay their monthly allowances .
According to them, they have been enduring the situation since 2012 but are tired of lies and bearucratic botlenecks hampering the payment of their monthly stipends.
Carrying various placards with various inscriptions, the militants staged a peaceful protest to the correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) where they made their grievances known.
“Our accounts have remained dormant since 2012. They blocked our accounts with UBA and Fidelity in Warri. We were made to understand that the problem iis from the Amnesty Office,” they claimed.
The presidential adviser on amnesty programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh and some Staff in the Amnesty Office were accused by the militants of allegedly diverting monies budgeted for them.
They also accused some of their leaders of improper representation, only fighting for their selfish interests.
Led by Robert Okosogha, the group, made up of seven camps, said, “Our account should be reactivated. The money should be paid into the accounts. Correction should be made on account number that was changed from UBA to Sterling and FEDELITY BANK.    

BY CHUKWUKA CHINAZA

Professor Cecil Blake is a living legend in the field of Communication Education in the African Continent. The Sierra Leonian has taught in several Universities across countries in Africa including Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Blake was one-time the Minister of Communication and Broadcasting in Sierra Leone. He has consulted widely for several agencies in the world, including the United Nations.
What many do not know is that Professor Blake was the leader of a band in Sierra Leone in the 1960s. The band called “The Golden Strings” was the best in that country at that time but Blake left that calling for the academia while some of the band members went ahead to become great in the Music industry of that country.
Recently, the Fourth edition of the Idowu Sobowale conference was held in honour of Cecil Blake in Free Town, Capital of Sierra Leone and he seized that opportunity to test his hands on the drums, remembering the good old days.

Eminent Nigerian scholars in communication education stormed Free Town, capital of Sierra Leone, to honour one of the leading communication scholars in Africa, Professor Cecil Blake.
Professor Blake, of the Mass Communications Department at Fourah Bay College of the University of Sierra Leone was honoured for his contributions to communications and media by the organizers of the Idowu Sobowale International conference. The conference was held on 18th and 19th October in Free Town, Sierra Leone.
The Idowu Sobowale conference recognizes African communicators who significantly contributed to promoting and showcasing African messages through the media.
The Idowu Sobowale International Conference theme was, “Media Integration, Peace-building and Intercultural Dialogue in Africa.” This is the 4th edition that has brought together scholars, researchers and seasoned communicators to present papers on emerging issues on the continent.
The keynote speaker, HRH Igwe Prof. Onuora Nwuneli, from Anambra State Nigeria, said four years ago when the conference started it was challenging but with resiliency from the organizers it has taken on a life of its own. He said this year’s conference in Sierra Leone was designed to recognize Prof. Cecil Blake for his outstanding performance and contributions to African media and for facilitating the award of scholarships to students through the Africa Council for Communication Education (ACCE).
Prof. Nwuneli recalled his 30-years relationship with Prof. Blake in the academic and professional theatre. He said he had transformed the media landscape and achieved phenomenal success in the academic and social platform. He described Blake as young, confident and aggressive.
He  said past Africa leaders from Ghana to Tanzania and down South African had long foreseen what the continent is going through today in terms of it issues and manner at which it should be disseminated but those present at that time never took such words seriously.
Prof Nwuneli said since pre-colonial days the masters had never given Africa the chance to think outside the box because politicians have transformed from ‘something’ to ‘nothing’.
He observed that the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) was established and later collapsed as a result of funding gaps, adding that Prof. Blake single-handedly raised the Nigeria chapter.
The Chair of the conference opening ceremony, Nana Pratt, said, “Intercultural dialogue is a factor in the equation for realizing positive intra- and inter-group relationships in sustaining the present peace in the country.
There were presentations on the life of Prof. Blake from when he was a singer to being a freelance journalist to SLBC and Daily mail. He was a Minister of Information, program officer for UNESCO in Kenya and later Nigeria. Memories were shared by many friends and close relatives including SLAJ President Kelvin Lewis.
Among the Nigerian contingent to the 4th Prof. Sobowale Conference held in Free Town Sierra Leone are Professor Idowu Sobowale (Atlantic Uni), Prof. Onuora Nwuneli (Eminent Scholar in Africa and currently Traditional Ruler of Igbakwu community in Ayamelum LGA of Anambra state), Prof. Umaru Pate (Bayero Uni, Kano), Prof. Lai Oso (LASU), Prof. Innocent Okoye (UNILLORIN), Prof. Olufemi Onabajo (Caleb Uni), Prof. Rotimi Olatunji (LASU), Dr. Sandra Ladi Adamu (ABU, Zaria), Dr. Oladokun Omojola (Covenant Uni), Dr. Olusola Oyero (Covenant Uni), Dr. Mike Ukonu (UNN), Dr. Ben-Collins Ndinojuo (UNIPORT), Dr. Nwabueze, C. (COOU),  Dr. Ifedayo Daramola (AAU), Casmir Obiakor (COOU), Dr. Ferdinand Okoro (DELPOLY, Oghara), Dr. Ishola Lamidi (AAU), Dr. Olugbenga Abimbola (AAU), and Dr. Lanre Amodu (Covenant Uni).
(with contributions from awoko.org)

Foremost Scholar in Communication Education, Prof. Cecil Blake has called on the African nations to be committed to building the continent in order not to be beggars. Prof. Blake made this call while speaking at the 4th Idowu Sobowale Conference held in Freetown, Sierra Leone on the 18th and 19th October.
He said that beggary is not the future of the African continent, adding that donors from various parts of the world should come to partner African nations on how to move forward.
According to him: “We should not step out of the continent to beg for donors to come and assist us. Donors should be partners. But respect is earned and Africa should earn respect from other parts of the world.”
The 4th Idowu Sobowale conference was held in honour of Prof. Cecil Blake for his numerous land mark contributions to communication education and other development studies in Africa.

-DSS ordered to restrict the press from reporting Kanu’s trial

Department of State Services (DSS) have restricted newsmen from gaining access to the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Officials of the DSS stationed at the doorway of the courtroom stated that the barring of journalists is as a result of the order from their superiors.
Dressed in regular clothes, the DSS officials said: “We are working under directives.”
Another operative at about: 8.57am said: “We will allow you people when in at the appropriate time, when we get the directive to do so.”  BY TINA OKEKE

Soldiers serving jail terms at the Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive them whatever wrongdoing they had committed and grant them pardon for the sake of their families.
The soldiers are those sentenced to death by a military court martial in 2014 for demanding weapons before going to confront Boko Haram terrorists, but whose cases were later reviewed and commuted to 10 years imprisonment by the Chief of Army Staff..
They include the 12 soldiers convicted in September 2014 and sentenced to death by a court martial for demanding for weapons when the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army visited a military camp in Maiduguri, and the 58 others sentenced to death in December by another court martial for similar offence.
ICIR met the soldiers during an undercover visit to the prisons last week and interviewed them on how they’re faring and the conditions in the prisons.
The soldiers revealed that some Boko Haram suspects brought into the prisons had all regained freedom while they have continued languishing in jail.
A corporal, who acted as their spokesman, said: “The people we risked our lives fighting in Sambisa Forest who were brought here are being released one by one while we remain in jail. This is traumatic for all of us and we are begging our commander-in-chief to grant us pardon for the sake of God and our families.”
The soldiers also disclosed that the military authorities had stopped their salaries and their families had become impoverished.
“Most of us are the breadwinners of our families but we are in jail and our families have no one to take care of them. Our children have dropped out of school and we can’t help them,” said another soldier, as the others all nodded their heads in agreement.
They pointed at a soldier whose daughter was to write WAEC this year but had to drop out of school for lack of money.
But even life in the prison has been hectic and traumatic. The soldiers all complained about the exploitation by prison officials from the security men to the top.
They alleged that food ration in the prison was pathetic and that any prisoner who wanted to eat decent food had to prepare his own food or request his family to bring food to the prison.
“Prison officials request money from people who bring us food right from the gate to inside the prison. Sometimes a visitor who brings food pays as much as N3,000 each time they bring food into the prison otherwise they would not be allowed in. For God’s sake, how can we cope with this?” a soldier asked with anger on his face. BY EZEOGIDI JANEFRANCES

The hearing of former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, in an FCT High Court Gudu, on Tuesday, has been delayed on the grounds of ill-health of the said minister.
Mohammed was unable to appear in court as a result of stomach problem.
The defendant’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, was also not present because he was bereaved.
Uche, in a letter addressed to the court, requested an adjournment of the case, on the grounds that he lost his younger brother.
Mohammed has been charged on six counts bordering on false declaration of assets and graft in the sum of N864 million.
Reacting to the absence of the defendant from court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) prosecutor, Prince Ben Ikanni expressed his displeasure, saying the defendant is treating the case with kid gloves.
“In my 27 years as a prosecutor, I have never seen an accused person treat the court with such levity,’’ Ikanni said.
Speaking on the  defendants request for adjournment, Ikanni said he is fine with the request and as such leaves it at the discretion of the court.
Ikanni, affirmed that the defence had written to the court formally, but also noted that it should be on record that the defence requested an adjournment.
Mr Mbami Tula, the counsel representing the defendant’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, expressed surprise at why the EFCC prosecutor was “going on as if the case was on.’’
He stated that plans to produce a medical report on Mohammed’s health status  were ongoing, adding that the defendant suffered stomach problems due to food poisoning.
He also expressed as unfortunate, that the lead counsel had to be absent as he was bereaved
“Everybody will be sick and we will all die,’’ Tula said.
Consequently, the judge, Justice Abubakar Talba, told the two parties to decide on a convenient date for hearing. BY CHINWEUBA TOBECHI

President Muhammadu Buhari will leave for Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday to participate in the ninth D-8 Summit scheduled for Oct. 20.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
Adesina said prior to the Summit, President Buhari, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, would be on working visit to Ankara, the capital city, adding that during the visit Buhari would have a one on one conversation with his Turkish counterpart.

He said delegations from both countries would hold discussions on various fields including defence cooperation, security, educational and migration issues.
According to him, the Summit is tagged, ‘‘Expanding Opportunities through Cooperation’’, and it will focus on cooperation in the areas of agriculture, trade, transport, energy and increased private sector participation among member-countries.
“The Nigerian leader will also visit the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, where he will meet with the Speaker, Ismail Kahraman.’’
Adesina added that Buhari would also use the occasion to strenghten warm and growing ties across broad range of areas of cooperation with leaders of the D8-member countries.
He noted that the president would also discuss Nigeria’s resolve to work with D-8 member-countries on many key areas, including peace and security, economy and trade.
Buhari would also discuss the significant show of confidence in Nigeria’s business environment and economy during the summit which marks the 20th anniversary of the organisation.
The D8-member countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.
“At the end of the Summit, the Heads of State and Government will adopt a Communiqué, also known as the Istanbul Declaration,” he said.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has announced the donation of relief materials worth several thousand of naira to victims affected by the recent flood damage in Kebbi state.
The Dole-Kaina local government area of the state was in September, hit by the flood which  affected up to 100 households.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi’s birthday pictures were sighted on Monday.
The prestigious monarch is seen in front of beautiful cakes made to celebrate his birthday.

He was also seen with family and friends who came to celebrate with him.
BY EKPEREAMAKA PEACE