PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

  '' Ten years ago today on my 50th birthday we had our renewal of vows in Freedom Park on Lagos Island. Pastor Tony Rapu remarried us..Sir J and I. Six pastors were also part of the team that officiated. In the congregation was my Mum Dr (Mrs) Abimbola Silva. She had taken a wine and white Ankara as aso ebi for the family. My aunties Mrs Gbemi Rosiji,Aunty Olga Miller,Aunty Fracesca Emmanuel were all there. All of them in their 80s...all of them now on the otherside of eternity. My almost twin sister Bisi was also there. She too is on the otherside of eternity. With my Dad and my late daughter. I believe that's what happens the older we get...the more milestones we hit. Memories of those we have loved and lost. However being on this side of eternity is soo good too. Challenging ...definitely especially the last 5years. Wawoo. A massive thank you to my sons Soji   @mrjacobs_jnr   and Gbenga   @oj_poetry   , my daughter Blessing   @_blessing_douglas   a...

  President Muhammadu Buhari is deeply saddened by the gruesome killing of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Dora Akunyili.   The President shares the pain of the offspring  of Prof and Dr Akunyili, their families and friends whose lives will never remain the same after the inhuman and reprehensible act that happened in Onitsha, Anambra State.   President Buhari has fond memories of working with the late Dora Akunyili at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and Nigerians will never forget the memory of the amazon, who distinguished herself as a courageous, dependable and patriotic citizen.   Enjoining security agencies and leaders of thought to work harder to bring an end to the violence being unleashed on innocent Nigerians, the President assures the grieving families who lost their loved ones in the incident that the perpetrators of the heinous act will fa...

 ‘‘DISCOVER NIGERIA’’: PRESIDENT BUHARI TO UNVEIL ICONIC 60 sqm BOOK, HIGHLIGHTING BEAUTY, UNIQUENESS OF COUNTRY'S TOURISM POTENTIALS   President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday, September 30, 2021, unveil ‘‘Discover Nigeria’’, a pictorial book on Nigeria’s history, covering the period from Independence in 1960 to the present.   The 392-page book, authored by Bayo Omoboriowo, the President’s official photographer, showcases the country’s rich traditional institutions, ingenuity of its people, the beauty of its landscape, the richness of its farmlands, stunning waterfalls and seas, among others.   On the eve of the presentation, which coincides with Nigeria’s 61st Independence anniversary celebration, Omoboriowo hinted that the book has been enlisted as a contender for the Guinness World Records largest photobook.   ‘‘The previous record for the largest photobook is 45sqm. The ‘‘Discover Nigeria’’ book has been printed and mounted as a 60sqm giant frame book-60...

- No casualty recorded, 57 suspects in custody, petrol bombs, weapons, bags of stones, others, recovered Following the disruption of public peace allegedly by members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites in the Gwarinpa area of the Federal Capital Territory, the  FCT Police Command in a joint intervention with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have restored normalcy environment. In a press statement e-signed and released to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) by the Command's Spokesperson, DSP Adeh Josephine stated that, "The FCT Police Command in a joint intervention with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have restored normalcy to the Gwarinpa area of the FCT and other parts of the Capital where miscreants identified to be members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, caused unnecessary hardship to motorists and other road users as well as individuals going about their...

RRS HEADQUARTERS ON THE VERGE OF A NEW LOOK  WITH AN OFFICE EXTENSION  •Personnel welfare begets excellent delivery, says Commander Egbeyemi The headquarters of the Lagos state Rapid Response Squad (RRS), is set to witness a facelift in the form of an office extension, towards enhancing the agency's round the clock operations. The security agency set up over two decades ago by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu led government to complement the efforts of the Lagos state police command in policing the state, has over the years witnessed increased deployment of operatives, thus, requiring periodical appraisals and suiting  reinvention et al. The current commander of the agency, CSP Saheed Olayinka Egbeyemi, at the assumption of office, immediately swung into action, placing high premium on personnel welfare, as has been his style at previous duty posts as divisional police officer (DPO), at four (4), different divisional headquarters and of late, as chairman, Lagos state task fo...

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE ON WEDNESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2021.   It is on a very sad note that I address the State today to condemn in very strong terms, the violence that has been witnessed in Anambra in the past few days. Since last weekend, some armed persons have unleashed terror with sporadic attacks on innocent citizens in various parts of the State From the briefings I have received from Security Commanders, Offices of some political parties, branded campaign vehicles and individuals occupying them have been attacked with killings and burning of vehicles observed. Other innocent road users have become victims of this menace with many losing their lives and others, their properties. Between Sunday 26th and yesterday 28th September, 2021 attacks on citizens at Oko, Agulu, Obosi, Nkpor, Nnobi, Nnewi and other places have left about ten (10) people dead including an illustrious son of this State, Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of late Prof Dora ...

ANAMBRA STATE POLICE COMMAND BULLETIN OF 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2021* CP TONY OLOFU DECRIES ATTACKS/PUBLIC DISTURBANCE IN ANAMBRA. _Visits the scenes, calls for calm as Police collaborates with other Security Agencies  to decisively deal with the perpetrators_ The Commissioner of Police Anambra State Command *CP Tony Olofu* has today 29th September, 2021, observed with grave concern, the series of security breaches that have taken place within the State, and has therefore ordered tactical Commanders of the Command to immediately put an end to the madness.  He gave this order when he led senior police officers from the command on- the- spot assessment  to the crime scenes.  The *CP* while regretting the unfortunate loss of lives and valuables due to those senseless acts, has sued for calm, as the Command collaborates with other Security Agencies in State to decisively deal with the perpetrators, who seem to have lost every iota of human conscience and sensibility in them....

 First Woman To Lead Awka Chamber Of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture Takes Over Mantle of Leadership. By David Okpokwasili  The first woman to become the President of the Awka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture has now taken over the mantle of leadership of the Chamber at an investiture ceremony of the Association held in Awka.  Princess Caroline Ajuora who was invested as the eleventh president of the City chamber today, is also the first woman to hold the position in the South East region of Nigeria. Princess Ajuorah will lead a twenty-eight member enlarged executive to man the Chamber for the next two years. Awka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture is one of the City chambers in Anambra State under  the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture with the principal objective of creating a conducive atmosphere for the pursuit of commerce, industry, and all other forms of economic activi...

 IPOB Says It Did Not Kill Late Dora Akunyili’s Husband, Blames Politicians For The Dastardly Act, Denies Saying There Won’t Be Election In Anambra  By Nwafor Sunday Following the death of Dr Chike Akunyili, husband to late former Director General of NAFDAC and Minister of Information, Prof Dora Akunyili, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Wednesday denied killing the victim. Late Chike Akunyili was killed by unknown gunmen on his way from Onitsha to Umuoji at Afor Nkpor in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State. Reports had it that Akunyili had on Tuesday attended a lecture at Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, organized by the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA), Onitsha branch, in honour of his late wife. He was murdered while returning home after the event. In a riposte, the IPOB ‘s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, vowed to arrest and deal decisively with those committing crime in the region. “In the near future those commi...

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya has called for the development of a broad national civil-military cooperation policy in the country among other policy recommendations to promote robust and effective civil-military relations with key stakeholders. Lt Gen Yahaya made the call while delivering a lecture to participants of Senior Executive Course 43 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru titled, "The Implementation of the Civil Military Cooperation Policy of the Nigerian Army and the Conduct of Non-Kinetic Operations in the North-East: Issues, Challenges and Lessons". The COAS noted that  Army formations are working very hard to develop robust alliances with local communities and civilian populace to achieve more success in ongoing operations. He made a case for improved feedback mechanism between  the military and the civilian populace. The COAS also suggested the establishment of National CIMIC Doctrine and Strategy, establishm...

In the aftermath of American singer, R. Kelly’s conviction, his ex-wife, Drea Kelly has expressed heartbreak not only for the victims of the singer but also for their children. Speaking on UK-based ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Drea said, “I feel that my heart is in two places. My heart definitely goes out to the survivors and the courage that it takes to come forward and tell the story, but my heart breaks as a mother because this is now the legacy that my children will have to deal with and their children's children.  “At the end of the day, you cannot walk away from your bloodline. I have the ability to separate and distance myself from it, but his blood runs through my children's veins and it's part of their DNA and they couldn't escape it even if they wanted to. So it's very difficult for me to sit in that position.” Credit: AFP, GMB

The Federal Government has declared Friday, October 1, as public holiday to mark the Nation’s 61st Independence Anniversary Celebration. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulates all Nigerians on this year’s Celebration of the Country’s 61st independence and assured Nigerians of Government’s Aregbeola said: “Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as the abundant wealth inherent in our human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope if we can rally ourselves together to harness our potentials. “A country of about 200 million and above people whose natural talent, grit and passion glitter like the precious DIAMOND that we are. Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in Academia, Business, Innovation, Music, Movie, Entertainment, Fashion and culture. ” We are indeed the leading black nation ...

The Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists. It also advised the president to wage total war against the bandits, including bombing all their locations to annihilate and eliminate them. The Red Chamber also asked Buhari to declare all the known leadership of the bandits wanted and track them wherever they are for arrest and prosecution. The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and eight others.

At least four persons including a pregnant woman, her son and a Boys' Brigade member have been killed by suspected herdsmen in renewed attacks on some communities in Guma local government area of Benue State. A local who identified himself simply as Adamgbe, told Nigerian Tribune that the attacks occurred between Friday and Monday, September 27. According to Adamgbe, the herdsmen attacked people returning from church in the outskirts of Gbajimba, headquarters of Guma on Sunday, September 26. Four persons died in the attack while seven others sustained injuries. Adamgbe further said that the suspected herdsmen also invaded Ulever community in the council area where four persons were killed. One more photo below.