PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

     The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, has charged the newly commissioned Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officers of Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) Course 29/2020 to positively deploy the knowledge acquired during their training to defend the territorial integrity and national interests of Nigeria. The President gave this charge today, 8 August 2020, during the Passing Out Parade (POP) of 114 DSSC officer cadets held at the NAF Base, Kaduna after 6 months of rigorous and intensive military training at the NAF’s Military Training Centre (MTC). The successful completion of military training of the officer cadets, which comprised 2 medical consultants, 14 medical and veterinary doctors, 20 nurses and 78 other medical specialists, is another laudable step taken by the current NAF leadership as part of its human capacity building initiatives to meet the Nation’s security challenges. While congratulating the newl...

      President Muhammadu Buhari condoles with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora over the sad loss of Dr (Otunba) Dapo Williams, a prominent member of Nigerian UK Diaspora. Sympathizing with the family and friends of the deceased, the President recalls his meeting with Dr Williams in January, this year, during a town hall meeting with Nigerian professionals in the United Kingdom. “He was passionate about our  country, deeply committed to a Nigeria that attains her position in the comity of Nations. It’s sad to lose such a hopeful, ebullient soul so soon,” President Buhari says. Dr Williams was leader and pioneer of Nigerian Think Tank Group (NTTG), and staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari Campaign Organization, in the UK. The very successful Real Estate professional and community leader was also a member, Institute of Directors, London and Kent. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) August 9, 202...

      SUSPECTED MURDER CASE, ARREST OF SUSPECT On the 9/8/2020 at about 1:30am,there was a report of alleged murder of one Azuibuike Ekwegbalu 'm' aged 43 years,native of Ogbunike in Oyi LGA but resident at the Commissioners quarters Awka. Following the report, Police detectives attached to B' Division Awka led by the DPO CSP Emma Ogbuanya visited the scene and rushed victim who was found in a pool of his blood to COOUTH Awka for medical attention where he was certified dead by the medical doctor on arrival. Corpse was deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy. Meanwhile,a careful observation on the deceased body revealed stab wounds while a blood stained Kitchen knife was also recovered as Exhibit at the scene. Consequently, one suspect who allegedly was in the premises has been arrested and case is under investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident please. *SP Haruna Mohammed,PPRO* Anambra State Police Command, For-Commissione...

       Unilever Nigeria PLC, makers of Pears baby products, has donated packs of baby powder to the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Chapter, as parts of its contribution to the growth and development of babies in Nigeria. Receiving the donated items on behalf of the hospital management, the Director of Clinical Services and Training, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa, LASUTH, thanke d the representatives of the organisation for their generosity, especially during this difficult period. He expressed the gratitude of the hospital management and the LASUTH Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives for the donation, calling on other well-meaning corporate bodies and organisations to emulate such humanitarian gesture and support laudable initiatives. Helen Ojei, who led the team that delivered the items on behalf of Unilever Nigeria PLC to the hospital management, stated that the gesture was...

    Pope Francis urged the people of Lebanon on Sunday to work together in the wake of the devastating port blast to give birth to a new “free and strong” coexistence. The pope spoke at his weekly address in St. Peter’s Square as some Lebanese called for a sustained uprising to topple their leaders and the country’s top Christian Maronite cleric, whose Church is a Catholic Eastern rite, said the cabinet should resign.   “Last Tuesday’s catastrophe calls everyone, beginning with the Lebanese people, to work together for the common good of this beloved country,” Francis said. He said the coexistence of cultures in the county had been made much more fragile by the blast. “But I am praying that, with God’s help and everyone’s genuine participation, it may be reborn free and strong.”  Lebanon’s fractured politics is vulnerable to foreign interference that has long fuelled domestic crises. The powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group, a close ally of Syria, has foug...

      Keke Senior Grammar School, Agege, Lagos, has emerged the winner of the Y2020 Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz competition with 14 points, closely followed by Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu with 12 points and Lagos State Senior Model College, Kankon, with 10 points for the second and third positions respectively. Speaking at the grand finale of the competition held on Friday for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in the State, the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo revealed that this year’s competition held virtually is in line with the efforts of the government towards engaging the students intellectually while at home. Adefisayo spoke on the need to conduct a periodic assessment for the children to determine what they have learnt in the past few months through the Radio, Television and on-line programmes initiated by the State Government due to the closure of schools. In her words, “In any good educational syste...

     Obasanjo took the test last Friday, August 7, 2020, at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Pent House residence, Okemosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The former President’s Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, disclosed on Sunday that the samples of the test, conducted by one Dr. Olukunle Oluwasemowo of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory 54gene, Lagos, Nigeria, was returned negative on Saturday. The laboratory is one of the accredited laboratories approved by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to conduct the crucial Covid-19 test on both asymptomatic and symptomatic.One more photo below.

      The 62-year-old was said to have been in a coma at the First Cardiology Consultants in Ikoyi, Lagos, before he finally succumbed to the disease on Saturday. A former Nigerian lawmaker, Buruji Kashamu, who died of Coronavirus complications on Saturday in Lagos, has been buried in Ijebu Igbo on Sunday. The 62-year-old was said to have been in a coma at the First Cardiology Consultants in Ikoyi, Lagos, before he finally succumbed to the disease on Saturday. A crowd of sympathisers and loyalists thronged his Ijebu Igbo home on Sunday morning to pay tribute to him. He was loved by his people for his philanthropic gestures and contributions to the welfare of many. During his lifetime, Kashamu was the subject of an extradition matter between Nigeria and the United States where he said to be a drug lord and wanted for several crimes.More photos below.

     The story of Jerry Amilo’s survival after being reported to have been deposited in the mortuary for three days following a ghastly accident in which others died remained incredible to me until I read it from his interview in the media. Jerry Amilo is a Nigerian actor, producer and musician. He is a native of Anambra state, (Enugu-Ukwu precisely)Nigeria. He is a bachelor degree holder in Mechan ical Engineering from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He was the former manager of Christy Essien before moving into Nollywood. According to an interview by  modernghana.com , when Jerry Amilo was asked why he disappeared from Nollywood. He said “I had a terrible accident and I was even confirmed dead. God brought me back to life. After staying in the hospital for two years I wanted to return to acting but people advised me to wait and allow the wounds to heal. It isn’t too long that I returned. According to him, he was travelling to a venue for the reel awards...

     The deceased who hailed from Katsina Ala in Benue State, was said to have ingested a poisonous substance, said to be rodents killer, Sniper, on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at her home in Katsina Ala. According to reports, the deceased allegedly saw a social media message sent to her, asking her to invest in a money doubling scheme, with assurances that she would get double of  her investments within minutes. After much persuasion, the late Veronica transferred N100,000, believed to be her school fees which she couldn't pay before the outbreak of Covid-19. On discovering that she had been scammed, she became restless. A source said: "On Thursday morning, her family members noticed that she was withdrawn and depressed. They sought to know what was wrong with her but she told them she was fine. Her mum said since she is OK, she should pick a bike to the market and buy some items for herself. She drafted the list, but she said she wanted to bath before going, so ...

      Governors in the northeast have unanimously elected Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum as pioneer chairman of their forum, for a period of two years. This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the forum’s second meeting which held in Maiduguri yesterday. The meeting was attended by governors of Adamawa- Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Gombe- Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, Borno- Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, Bauchi- Sen. Bala Mohammed, Deputy Governors of Taraba- Engr Haruna Manu and Yobe, Idi Barde Gubana. The governors also agreed to make Maiduguri headquarters of their forum. They agreed to hold their third meeting on November 7, 2020 in Yola, Adamawa state. Northeast Governors raise 11 points in communique Borno Governor and Chairman, Northeast Governors forum, Babagana Umara Zulum on Saturday night, read an 11-point communique issued at the end of the forum’s second meeting. He said after the governors discussed challenges facing the sub-regio...

     Concerned by the growing trend of environmental degradation occasioned by the activities of cart pushers, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has embarked on a clampdown on all forms of cart pushing in Somolu and Bariga area of the Strate. A release issued by the Acting Managing Director of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, on Saturday, stated that the Agency has stepped up efforts to make Lagos cleaner and livable for  all through the introduction of novel waste management programmes in the State, as well as supporting PSP operators to discharge their primary duties effectively. Odumboni, however, pointed out that efforts to protect the environment were being hampered by the activities of cart pushers who engaged in flagrant acts of indiscriminate waste disposal in such places as canals, road medians and undeveloped property, among others. According to him, “The menace of cart pushing in some parts of the State has led to the rise of indiscriminate ...

     My sincere condolences to Madam Susan, Sherifat, her siblings and the entire Kashamu family, the people of Ijebu Igbo and Ogun State on yesterday's passing of my dear friend, Senator Buruji Kashamu. I just paid a visit to the family in Ijebu Igbo, where I prayed eternal rest for their lost patriarch and the strength for the bereaved family to bear the painful loss. On receiving the shocking news in Edo State yesterday, I realised that family, friends and associates will great ly miss this giant who, like me, had a penchant for touching people's lives positively, despite our different political affiliations. Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR Governor, Ogun State. More photos below.