PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 "Lord God Almighty,do not allow my enemies to overpower me,so much evil in our entertainment industry,reasons ,jealousy ,envy,unhealthy competition etc...have mercy on the evil one,open their eyes to see and believe in you and change their ways for good...Amen". One more photo below. 

 Submarine cables’ breaches: Nigeria seeks joint West Africa regional protection Following recent undersea cable cuts that challenged connectivity in many countries in the West African region, Nigeria has called for a coordinated and multilateral approach by the region to protect shared telecommunications infrastructure, and diversify connectivity to ensure uninterruptible connections. Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, made the submission in a statement delivered at the 21st West Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, between March 19th and 22nd 2024. Dr. Maida, whose message was delivered at the forum by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, stated that the recent submarine cable cuts that resulted in nationwide outages on multiple networks in 12 African countries has raised the urgent need for the sub-region to establish a mechan...

 Gov Otu cannot witchhunt Ayade – C’River APC chairman The chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State, Barrister Alphonsus Eba, has disclosed that the immediate past governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade, had sacrificed much towards the gubernatorial victory of his successor, Senator Bassey Otu, such that the latter cannot in any way witchhunt him. He seriously cautioned, saying, “nobody should say that the present governor is witch-hunting the former governor.” The APC chairman made this caution in an interview with journalists in Calabar on the heels of the ongoing recovery of alleged stolen government properties by the state House of Assembly. Some of the properties reportedly recovered by the leadership of the assembly include heavy-duty tractors said to have been carted away by Ayade’s former officials, a 100-bed hotel in Abuja dubiously sold for six million naira to an unknown person, as well as the stoppage of the private renovation of the C...

 Killers of our men have murdered peace – FPRO Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi has said those who murdered six police officer in Delta state will not know peace. According to a statement issued on Sunday night Adejobi said: “It’s not only criminal, but also evil, barbaric, and sinful to be killing policemen or any security agent who works tirelessly to defend and protect the lives and property of Nigeria’s citizens. “I see it as a disservice to our dear nation. It will never be the same game as usual. The Force Headquarters would do everything possible to protect the personnel of the NPF and decimate those who have murdered our men (uniform men), for they have murdered peace.”. One more photo below. 

 Tragic car crash claims two lives, injures several others on highway between Lagos and Kogi. The accident occurred at Ofoke village, Kogi State, and the victims have been rushed to a nearby hospital. This is a developing story, and we will update as more details become available through our reporter in Kogi State. More photos below. 

 Dubai Police Launches Ground-breaking ‘Police Innovation and Leadership’ Diploma with 46 Participants from 31 Countries   With the participation of 46 officers from 31 countries worldwide, the Dubai Police has launched the first edition of the "Police Innovation and Leadership" (PIL) Diploma. This inaugural event is a collaboration between the Dubai Police's General Department of Training and the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai.   Brigadier Badran Saeed Al Shamsi, Acting Assistant Commandant for Academic and Training Affairs, emphasised that the launch aligns with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to achieve excellence, leadership, and global competitiveness for Dubai.   Al Shamsi noted that this diploma, the first ...

 Veteran Nollywood actor, Amaechi Muonagor, dies at 62 This was disclosed by a social commentator, Morris Monye, via his X handle, on Sunday. Muonagor was said to have suffered kidney failure and was on dialysis. The sudden news of his demise comes just few days after a viral video where he solicited  funds to help him have a Kidney transplant. Deeply heartbroken by the news of Amaechi Muonagor's passing. He was a talented Nollywood actor whose presence on our screens was truly masterful. We watched with concern as he battled health issues, offering whatever support we could to help him seek treatment in India.…  — Mo-Mo (@Morris_Monye) March 24, 2024 Monye wrote, “Deeply heartbroken by the news of Amaechi Muonagor’s passing. “He was a talented Nollywood actor whose presence on our screens was truly masterful. “We watched with concern as he battled health issues, offering whatever support we could to help him seek treatment in India. “This tragic loss highlights the need ...

 SANWO-OLU CONGRATULATES SENATOR ABIRU AT 60 Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated the Chairman of the Southern Senators and member of the Senate representing Lagos East, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, on the occasion of his 60 years birthday. Senator Abiru, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, will clock 60 on Monday, March 25. Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, described Senator Abiru as a seasoned banker, administrator and lawmaker, who has used his various positions for the progress of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. The Governor said Senator Abiru contributed his quota to the growth and development of Lagos State as Commissioner for Finance between 2011 and 2013, and now as two-term Senator, representing the people of Lagos East Senatorial District. He said: “On behalf of my darling wife, Ibijoke, Government and the peo...

 We are thrilled to announce that the second set of OgunTeach teachers have received their permanent employment certificates after successfully completing a two-year probationary period.  This achievement is in fulfillment of Governor Dapo Abiodun's promise and demonstrates his administration's unwavering commitment to the development of education across the State. We are now gearing up to engage another set of OgunTeach teachers across the State, further enhancing the quality of education and opportunities for teachers in our community.

NDLEA launches massive raids in Lagos, Edo, Ondo, seizes 44,948kg drugs, 11 vehicles . Busts cocaine, heroin, meth syndicates in Abuja, Kano, arrests 4 kingpins Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have launched massive raids across Lagos, Edo and Ondo state leading to the seizure of over 44,948.1 kilograms (44.9 tonnes) of illicit drugs and arrests of eight suspects as well as the seizure of 11 vehicles owned by the drug cartels. While a total of 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo state with another 670kg evacuated, on Saturday 23rd March 2024, no less than 14,310.8625kg of same psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West LGA, Edo State on Tuesday 19th March, where five suspects including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested. In another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest ...

 Churches Should Not Abandon Politicians After Office – Wike The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, said churches should not neglect politicians after serving out their terms in office. He stated this in Port Harcourt at St Mark’s Anglican Church for the birthday celebration of the House of Representatives Minority Leader, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda. The former Rivers State governor also wants the clergy to practice what they preach, urging them to always pray for the political class. Wike said, “The church should also remain steadfast, the church should also not abandon people when they’re no longer in office. When most of us were in office, there was no church we weren’t contributing to. But immediately we left office, it was a different story. “You as agents of God must show that you’re practicing what you preach. It’s not only politicians. Always be there for us, pray for us, don’t change.” Also speaking at the event is the Speaker of the House...

 Anambra Assembly Holds Valedictory Session For Late Nnebe By Chizoba Okeke,  Anastasia Agunwa and  Gloria Abugu The Anambra State House of Assembly, on Friday held a valedictory session in honour of former Speaker, Mr Anayo Nnebe who died on Jan. 23, at the age of 61. Nnebe was the Speaker of the Anambra 4th Assembly from 2007 to 2011 and also a former House of Representatives member for Awka North and South Federal Constituency from 2011 to 2015. Until his death, Nnebe was the Special Adviser to Gov. Chukwuma Soludo on Legislative and Assembly matters.  The valedictory session for the departed ex-Speaker was also attended by some former speakers and members of the House. In his valedictory speech, Speaker of the Assembly, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze, described late Nnebe as a selfless leader and brilliant legislator who advocated for the rights and welfare of his constituents and left an indelible mark on the legislative landscape. "Late Nnebe dedicated himself whole hear...

 SSANU, NASU End Warning Strike, Direct Members To Resume Work Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), on Sunday, ended their seven-day warning strike. In a circular to branch chairmen at public universities all over the coutry, SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, directed SSANU and NASU members to resume work from Monday, March 25, 2024. The unions said upon evaluation of the seven-day warning strike that started on March 18, 2024,  “the tempo of the warning strike has been massive, comprehensive and total in most of our universities and inter-universities centres”. SSANU and NASU saluted the “dedication, resoluteness and loyalty of members to the cause of the union’s struggle for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries”. “Consequently, you are hereby informed that the seven-day warning strike shall end at midnight of Sunday, 24th March 2024 and normal work will resume on Monday, 25th March 2024,” ...

 William Troost-Ekong: I would have swapped AFCON MVP for trophy   Super Eagles captain and recipient of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, William Troost-Ekong said he would have swapped the individual award for the gold medalist and AFCON trophy. Only six months ago, the Super Eagles skipper had been considering walking away from international football entirely following disagreements with coach José Peseiro. Charged with rallying a team left reeling from the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Troost-Ekong was concerned with how he was being treated by the Portuguese manager. “[It] resulted in us not actually speaking for a few months. That was the time where my pride and ego, I think maybe got the better of me. I thought about stopping. Thankfully, I’ve got a good group of people around me who talk me out of it,” the defender told CNN World Sport’s Amanda Davies in a recent interview. T...

Nigeria finish second as 13th African Games ends Team Nigeria finished second on the medals table at the 13th African Games in Ghana. The Nigerian contingent raked in 47 gold, 33 silver, and 40 bronze medals across 25 sports at the competition. Weightlifting produced Nigeria’s highest medal haul. Team Nigeria dominated the athletics event, claiming an amazing 11 gold, six silver and four bronze, totaling 21 medals.  The 2003 champions on home soil also dominated wrestling and weightlifting events but found themselves in a distant second position to Egypt on the overall medals table. Leaders Egypt boast 186 medals — 100 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze — while second-place Team Nigeria have 114 medals – 43 gold, 32 silver, and 39 bronze. South Africa are in third place with 32 gold, 32 silver, and 41 bronze. Algeria, Tunisia, hosts Ghana, Morocco, Mauritius, Ethiopia, and Kenya complete the Top 10 spots in that order. Nigeria achieved her best-ever performance in the athletics event a...

 Nigerians don’t care how you make money - Bella Okagbue Reality TV star, Bella Okagbue, has expressed disappointment with Nigerians who prioritize wealth over the source of income. She stated that 99% of Nigerians do not care how money is made, as long as they are rich. Okagbue added that a lot of people in Nigeria have normalized illegal jobs, as long as they can make a substantial amount of money from them. She advised netizens to work hard so that they can provide the best life for their children, enabling them to choose a partner based on love rather than money. Okagbue also emphasized the importance of striving for contentment, so that even when things get tough, people do not feel tempted to take the wrong path. She said: “99% of Nigerians don’t care about how you make your money. They just want to hype you and tap into your wealth without caring about your source of income. It even feels like doing an illegal job is normalised in this day and age. “You’d be seen as importan...

 Minister Calls on Parents to Instill Moral Values in Children  Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to parents and guardians to remain steadfast in their commitment to inculcating moral values in their children. The Minister, who made the call in Kaduna on Saturday, at the Annual Ramadan Lecture organized by NTA, FRCN, VON and NBC, with theme “Family Dynamics: Rights and Obligations from Islamic Perspectives,” said the family holds a sacred duty to instill the principles of integrity, empathy, and honesty, among other values in their children in order to shape their character and guide their actions throughout the journey of life. “Moral values serve as the compass that steers our children through the complexities of the world, helping them distinguish right from wrong and navigate ethical dilemmas with clarity and conviction. By imparting these values within the sanctity of our home, we equip our children with the tools they need to ...

 Nigerian immigrant dies 10 years after son Damilola Taylor’s murder in UK Nigeria-born activist Richard Taylor, who lost his son Damilola to murder in UK at only 10 years, is dead. He died yesterday following a protracted illness, his family announced. He was aged 75. Following the circumstances of Damilola’s death in November 2000, the father set up the Damilola Taylor Trust to campaign against knife crime and dedicated years to improving the lives of disadvantaged children. He said he wanted his son to be remembered as a boy of hope and for his legacy to be a better life and opportunities for underprivileged young people. Damilola was left bleeding to death in a stairwell in Peckham, South-east London, after he was attacked and slashed with a broken bottle on his way home from a library. After three crown court trials, his two killers, brothers Ricky and Danny Preddie, were finally put behind bars.

 Moscow attack: Death toll rises to 133, Putin vows decisive action Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said the Friday concert attack is a barbaric act of terrorism, vowing to punish the perpetrators. He also accused Ukraine of preparing a “window” to help the suspects escape. Kyiv has staunchly denied any role in the attack. He made these known in a public address he delivered on Saturday in Moscow, Russia’s capital. Saturday PUNCH had reported how, on Friday, gunmen in camouflage clothing opened fire on people at a concert in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. So This Happened (237) Let's Provide You Detailed Overview Of The Significant Events... | Punch0:01 / 1:01 Several Russian media outlets reported that automatic weapons were used in what many have termed ‘one of the worst such attacks in Russia in years.’ At least five gunmen were shown in unverified videos firing repeatedly at screaming civilians cowering in the concert hall as Soviet-era rock group “Picnic” was about t...

 Glaucoma more prevalent among Igbo – NOA • Anambra ranks highest in prioritizing optometry The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) has disclosed that glaucoma is more prevalent among the Igbo race. The body said the sickness was more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, more in Nigeria, and more in the Southeast. NOA President, Dr Chimeziri Anderson, made the revelation in Awka, Anambra State at the National Delegates Congress and Glaucoma Summit themed, ‘Glaucoma, The Silent Thief Of Sight.’ He said, “Globally, glaucoma is more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, more in Nigeria, and in Nigeria, more among the Igbo. So being of Igbo ethnicity makes you a glaucoma risk patient.  “In Abia State, glaucoma-risk for example, you find out that one out of two or three adults have glaucoma. It’s an ongoing study that can be attributed to genes that are more disposed to the ailment.  “The study is targeted at locating and finding the cure to the gene therapy. If you’re of black origi...

 FG begins renovation of former seat of govt, Dodan Barracks The Federal Government has started renovating the former seat of power, Dodan Barracks, with plans to complete works by May 29, 2024, Saturday PUNCH has learned. Senior government officials involved in the project exclusively told our correspondent that the work became necessary as perennial floods threatened the facility and critical components were deteriorating fast. This comes months after President Bola Tinubu proposed N4bn to renovate the official residence in Lagos and another N3bn to refurbish the Vice President’s official quarters in the state. On October 30, 2023, the Federal Executive Council approved the amount as part of a N2.18tn supplementary budget for the 2023 fiscal year. The budget covers additional spending in defense, works, and welfare packages such as wage awards and conditional cash transfers, as agreed with the Organised Labour earlier that month. Tinubu assented to the bill on New Year’s Day of 2...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU WELCOMES RELEASE OF KURIGA SCHOOL CHILDREN, SAYS SCHOOLS MUST BE MADE SAFE AND SECURE FOR LEARNING   President Bola Tinubu welcomes the news of the release of the Kuriga school children in Kaduna State and emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the federal government and states for expected outcomes, especially on matters of security.   The President commends the National Security Adviser, the Security Agencies, and the Kaduna State Government for the dispatch and diligence with which they handled this situation, noting that incipient urgency, meticulous attention, and tireless dedication are critical to optimal outcomes in cases of mass abductions.   President Tinubu also welcomes the release of pupils of a Tsangaya school in Sokoto State, commending all the parties to the feat for their valiant effort.   The President assures Nigerians that his administration is deploying detailed strategies to ensure tha...

 APGA tackles Ganduje, says APC rejected in Anambra The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has tackled the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, for his comment that Anambra State has remained politically disconnected from the center by remaining in the minority party, APGA. Mazi Ejimofor Opara, APGA’s National Publicity Secretary, in a statement on Saturday said Anambra, though governed by a minority party, has remained better than most states Ganduje claimed were connected to the center. Ganduje had, on Friday, while making his remarks during a South East APC colloquium held in Nnewi and organised by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, stated that Anambra has been politically dislocated from the South East by remaining in APGA. But replying, Opara stated that Ganduje’s eight years as governor of Kano State were some of the reasons the state chose a governor from the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP. “First, I wonder the level of progress Kano S...