PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

          President Muhammadu Buhari will Monday depart for Accra, Ghana, to attend the country’s 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations holding at the Independence Square on Tuesday, March 6. The president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said in a statement on Sunday that Mr. Buhari is the only foreign leader invited to the historic event as the Special Guest of Honour. “Similarly, other than his host, President Nana Akufo-Addo, the Nigerian leader is the only foreign guest scheduled to address the august gathering,” Mr. Adesina said. He also said Mr. Buhari will use the “unique opportunity to reaffirm the long-standing warm relations between the peoples and governments of both brotherly nations”. He said the president will also underscore Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening the bilateral ties in furtherance of democracy, good governance and overall development not only in the West African sub-region, but also the African continent.“The pres...

       The Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has advised tax payers to demand for written notice when they receive phone calls from tax officials. She gave this advice in response to the activities of some fake tax officials alleging to be officials of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS). In a statement on Sunday, the Minister said, “My attention has been drawn to reports of some unidentified tax officials requesting for bank details and address of tax payers. “If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Tax Office, do not panic. Ask them to send you a written notice. Do not provide any details like your address or bank details,” she urged. Meanwhile, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has honoured a consistent tax payer, Elder Lema Jibrin. Jibrin was honoured during the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Sch...

       Q: Revamping Nigeria’s education system. Vice President: If you will recall about a few months ago, I think it was in January, we had an education retreat; what needs to be done again is to unfold a whole direction in education. We came in with a manifesto on education, we had a few points that we were looking at and we also had some time to look at it. But many of us raised the issue that you don't just pick the whole education; what about engineering because what we are seeing is such a dramatic change, not just in method of instruction in the requirement, job requirement, employment requirement, in technology and all of that, and that's exactly what we are trying to do. For example, we cannot have primary education the way it is, we've got to teach young people, we've got to introduce technology; you've got to have collaboration in education. We discovered, for instance, when we were doing the N-power - employment for young graduates, we discovered...

         A young man identified as Ifeanyi Oguejiofor has reportedly killed his father with a knife and stabbed his mother in Abatete community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The incident occurred yesterday Saturday. He was arrested by the Abatete vigilante group in the area and handed over to the police. However, his mother simply identified as Josephine, who survived the attack narrated that suspect killed his father after demanding money from them. She explained that their inability to give him the money he requested for resulted in the sad event that claimed her husband’s life. Anambra police command has apprehended Ogueofor, 27, who is a commercial motorcyclist and begun an investigation into the matter.More details later.More photos below.

    Ghana President  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was on Friday, 2nd March, 2018, presented with the Exemplary Leadership Award, in recognition of his "courageous and transformative leadership", "commitment to education" and for his implementation of "people centred policies." "May Ghana, under your leadership, be a wonder and an inspiration to the world. May the expectation, as we know it will, of every African man and woman be raised because of your pioneering achievements. May every African child believe that he or she can, because you lifted them up, and paved the way," the citation read. President Akufo-Addo received the award at the 15th anniversary gala dinner night of the Whitaker Group, an award which was presented by the CEO of the Group, Rosa Whitaker. In accepting the award, the President thanked Rosa Whitaker and the Whitaker Group warmly for the honour of the award, indicating that "what our history has taught us is...

     Madonna took to her social media yesterday to post this photo of her album cover ''Ray of light'' with the caption '' Happy 20th Anniversary to Madonna’s Ray of Light album, which was released worldwide on March 3rd, 1998! Which song from the album is your favorite and why? Tell us in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy and get ready for more Ray of Light goodies to be unveiled throughout the month!''.She also shared a black and white photo of herself with the caption '' « When I was Just Walking in the door   🔥 🔥 🔥 . ! An Epic Night at the OSCARS!!   🏆 🏆 🏆   #hollywood #glamour   #storytelling   #filmmaking   #mythology #history   #fame   #illusion   #diamondsareagirlsbestfrie nd   💍 👑   » -Madonna.One more photo below.

        The Chief of Defence staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin and the Service Chiefs with the Director General Department of State Service met in Maiduguri yesterday, 1st march 2018 to review the ongoing operations in the North East, particularly, the operation to get back the Dapchi girls. During the review, the pattern of information management in all the military operations was reviewed. It was sadly observed that, the military operation strategies have always been in the media space thereby giving the insurgents and terrorists opportunity to re-strategise. It was recommended that hence forth, the military information arms will be communicating the successes rather than strategies. The Chief of Defence Staff solicits for media cooperation and support of all the stakeholders as well as members of the general public in the ongoing efforts. However, it is very important to be mindful of speculations that could jeopardise the ongoing efforts as w...

      There are 2,201 petrol stations in Nigeria’s porous border towns and coastal frontiers, with a combined fuel tank capacity of 144.9 million litres. The shock discovery has made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to  sound the alarm bells that an unprecedented cross-border smuggling of petrol to neighbouring countries is ongoing,  making it difficult to sanitise the fuel supply and distribution matrix in the country. And the NNPC  that spent over $5.8 billion to import petrol since December 2017, is losing N744 million per day.Leading a top Management team of the corporation on a visit to the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd), on 2 March, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, revealed that detailed study conducted by NNPC indicated strong correlation between the presence of the frontier stations and the activities of fuel smuggling syndicates.He said that the activities...

      Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, March 2, 2018, deferred judgment in an application filled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking the final forfeiture of a sum of N1,222, 384,857.84 recovered from the account of Melrose General Services Company Limited as well as another N220,000,000.00 recovered from two other companies.   Justice Olatoregun had, on Friday, October 13, 2017, ordered an interim forfeiture of the money, following a motion ex parte filed by the EFCC.   The judge had also ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sum of N220,000,000.00 recovered from two other companies namely Wasp Networks Limited and Thebe Wellness Services. In granting the EFCC prayers, Justice Olatoregun had ordered anyone interested in the money to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. The judge had al...

       In continuation of Exercise AYEM AKPATUMA, troops on patrol to Yeas, Kaseyo and Ukaa villages came across abandoned cattle grazing on a farm land. The cattle were driven out of the farm into custody in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Similarly, troops while on patrol along road Ayilamo, Tomata and Kwantan Sule settlements accosted 3 herdsme n, armed with machetes deliberately grazing their cattle on a farmland thereby destroying it. Suspects were arrested and handed over to the police for further action.The patrol continues to protect communities and deny armed herdsmen / militia freedom of movement and action. Texas Chukwu Brigadier General   Director Army Public Relations.