EAGLES EYE UPDATE

South Africans will enjoy Tuesday, 27 December 2022, as a public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day falling on a Sunday.   This follows a declaration to this effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994).   In terms of the 2022 annual calendar, Christmas Day, 25 December, falls on a Sunday.   Section 2(1) of the Public Holidays Act provides that "whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday”.   In this instance, the Monday following the 25 December 2022 is another public holiday, Day of Goodwill.   If the holiday of Sunday, 25 December were to be moved to Monday, 26 December, this would cancel the holiday of 26 December or cause the two holidays – which are part of 12 paid public holidays annually - to overlap.   This would mean workers would only have 11 paid public holidays in this year, while Section 5 of the Public Holidays Act provides that "... eve...

Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress  in 1943, as a law student. He and other ANC leaders campaigned against apartheid (white-only rule). He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, but was released in 1990 after 27 years in jail on Robin Island as South Africa began to move away from strict racial segregation. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected South Africa’s first black president in 1994. He stepped down after five years in office in 1999. After leaving office, he became South Africa’s highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country’s right to host the 2010 football World Cup. He was also involved in peace negotiations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and other countries in Africa and elsewhere. Names Mr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is sometimes called by other names. Each name has its own special meaning and story. When you use them you should kno...

A nurse in Abeokuta, Ogun state explained her experience to SYMPLY ABEFE MEDIA as she was nearly raped by a private patient she cared for. She said "Towards the ending of year 2021, some good Samaritan brought a man (name withheld) to our clinic with various degree of wound on his head, as a senior Nurse and the head of the shift, I was at the centre of care for him. "We attended to him as appropriate and he was discharged with an instruction to come for the wound dressings as at when due. "He adhere to the instructions and the dressing days, I knew this because I was the one that always attend to him. "As a well know man in the area and my patient, he requested for my number and I was never hesitated to give him my number. "Sometime in the middle of 2022, he called me that he is sick and not feeling fine, I told him to come to the clinic but he said he didn't like the hospital odors that he will prefer an home care, I told him then that I am ve...

The Independent National Electoral Commission,( INEC) has directed eligible voters who registered for the Permanent Voters Cards to pick the item, effective from Monday, December 12, 2022. A statement signed by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, said the exercise would terminate in all the 774 Local Government Areas on 22 January, 2023. “The Commission also resolved to devolve PVC collection to the 8,809 Registration Areas/Wards from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th January 2023. Those that are unable to collect their PVCs at the Local Government Offices of the Commission can do so at the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards. After the 15th of January 2023, the exercise will revert to the Local Government Offices of the Commission until 22nd January 2023. “All eligible and valid registrants can collect their PVCs from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays. “ Okoye further disclosed that “all the RECs and Elec...

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari has withdrawn case against a final year student of the Federal University, Dutse, Aminu Adamu. Adamu, 24, was arrested by the police in Dutse for allegedly publishing a defamatory statement on his Twitter handle against Mrs Buhari. In the alleged offensive tweet, Adamu, who is studying Environmental Management, posted a rotund picture of the first lady with a caption in Hausa saying, “Mama is feeding fat on poor people’s money.”  The tweet was posted on June 8, 2022. After nearly two weeks in detention and alleged torture, he was arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, where he pleaded not guilty and was remanded at Suleja prison in Niger State. But withdrawing the case against the accused on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe said the First Lady as the mother of the nation decided to withdraw the case, following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians. He relied on Section...

A 41-year-old trader, Nnabueze Chibuike, on Wednesday, was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State on two-court charges of alleged possession and importation of large quantities of Mivina Chicken seasonings. The case between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (Complainant) and Nnabueze Chibuike, as the Defendant came up for the first hearing, and has a suit No: FHC/B/195C/2022. The accused was brought before Presiding Judge, Justice S.M Shuaibu and he pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge. The count charges brought before the accused reads: “That you Nnabueze Chibuike, Male, Adult, 41 years old of No 20 Arondizugu Street Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, on or about the 11th day of November, 2022, at your factory, at No 22, Nekpen-Nekpen, Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, was found in possession of unwholesome processed food to wit: Mivina chicken seasoning and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1...

Following the failure of the owner of Hilton Honors Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Rahmon Adedoyin to produce his witness in court and the absence of Femi Falana (SAN), the murder case of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife could not progress on Thursday. Adedoyin, alongside six of his hotel workers including Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola, had been standing trial over the death of late Adegoke. When the matter was mentioned for continuation of hearing on Thursday, all the defendants were present in court. The presiding judge, Chief Judge of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo, had asked counsel to the first defendant (Adedoyin), K. Eleja, SAN, to call his witness but Eleja informed the court that the witness that was to testify was not in court because of his posting. According to him, the witness is a police officer and his posting did not allow him to be present in court. “A...

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group H - Portugal v Ghana - Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar - November 24, 2022 Fourth official Stephanie Frappart before the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay Stephanie Frappart, Neuza Back and Karen Diaz will become the first all-female refereeing team for a men's World Cup match as they have been named to take charge of the Costa Rica-Germany Group E match on Thursday, FIFA announced on Tuesday. Frappart, the fourth official for the Poland-Mexico Group C clash  last week , will be the main referee as she reaches another milestone after being the first female to officiate at a men's World Cup qualifier in March and Champions League match in 2020. The 38-year-old Frenchwoman will be joined by Brazilian Neuza and Mexican Diaz as assistants. Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan are also taking part at the tournament in Qatar.

Kano state government under Abdullahi Ganduje has banned tricycle riders known as “Adaidaita Sahu” from operating on some major roads within Kano metropolis in the state from Wednesday, November 30, 2022. The order was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), Nabilusi Na’isa, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. According to the statement, the government took the action after providing 100 ultra-modern buses and 50 taxis that would be conveying passengers on the roads that are prohibited for the tricycle operators. “Adaidaita Sahu drivers (tricycle operators) are prohibited from following Ahmadu Bello Way by Mundubawa road to Gazawa and Tal’udu road to Gwarzo,” the statement partly read. The government stated that it had provided the buses in order to enhance transportation in the state as well as to make it easier for people to follow these routes. According to the statement, the government will also announce when tricycle operato...

The Federal Government has approved the commencement of a 14-day paternity leave for federal civil servants. The paternity leave, which is for serving male officers whose spouse delivers a baby, is said not to be for more than once within two years and for a maximum of four children. Dr Folasade Esan, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), on Monday, in a circular tittle ‘Computation of Leave Based on Working Days and Approval of Paternity Leave in the Public Service’, explained that it’s in line with the provision of the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition, that the computation of all leaves shall be based on working days. “Where the family of a male officer adopt a child under four months old, the officer will similarly enjoy Paternity Leave. ”The request for such leave should be accompanied by the Expected Date of Delivery’s (EDD) report of the officer’s wife or evidence of approval of the adoption of the child by the relevant government bodies.” Recall that the Fed...

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) said on Monday that holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) would soon be employed as Assistant Lecturers in polytechnics and monotechnics. The Executive Secretary of the board, Prof. Idris Bugaje, disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna. Bugaje pointed out that currently, only degree holders were being employed in polytechnics as assistant lecturers. He lamented that HND holders were relegated as technicians and technologists in laboratories and workshops in the polytechnic sector, which he described as “gross injustice”. “Why should somebody from the university system come and midwife over a different system and become lords over them? “The highest product in the polytechnics is the HND, as such, the best of these graduates should be employed as assistant lecturers and grow within the systems to have their Master’s degree. “They can rise through the ranks to become Chief Lecturers and eventually become...

The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission has announced the withdrawal of certificates of return given to all elected officials in the October 15 local government election. The then ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, was the only party that fielded candidates contesting posts of chairmen and councillors at the polls and OSIEC returned all of them elected. Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, however, in his judgment in a case filed by the PDP against OSIEC, the APC and some of its chairmanship candidates, last Friday, nullified the election sighting noncompliance with the Electoral Act. In a statement signed by the OSIEC Executive Secretary, Adedapo Adejumo, obtained in Osogbo on Monday, the Commission stated it would not appeal the judgment. The Commission also admitted it did not comply with the provisions of Section 24 of OSIEC Law, 2022 and Section 28 of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandated it to give a notice of 360 days before the conduct of the election. The stateme...

The World Health Organisation has said it will start using a new preferred term, ‘mpox’, as a synonym for monkeypox. The change of name is following a series of consultations with global experts and both names will be used simultaneously for one year while “monkeypox” is phased out, according to the WHO. In a press statement issued on Monday and made available to The PUNCH, it said when the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatising language online, in other settings, and in some communities was observed and reported to the WHO. The statement read in part, “In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked the WHO to propose a way forward to change the name. “Assigning names to new and, very exceptionally, to existing diseases is the responsibility of the WHO under the International Classification of Diseases and the WHO Family of International Health Related Classifications through a consultative pro...

China covid zero protests Source: AFP The BBC has said one of its journalists in China was arrested and beaten by police while covering protests on Sunday against the country’s zero-Covid policy. Hundreds of people took to the streets in China’s major cities on Sunday in a rare outpouring of public anger against the state. “The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist, Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai,” the broadcaster said in a statement. Lawrence, working in the country as an accredited journalist, was detained for several hours, during which time he was beaten and kicked by police, according to the BBC. He was later released. Lawrence tweeted on Monday to thank his followers, adding he believed “at least one local national was arrested after trying to stop the police from beating me.” The reporter later returned to the scene of the protest, according to videos he posted on his Twitter page. “It is very worry...

The Jigawa state police command has said it is not aware of the arrest of Aminu Azare, a student of the Federal University, Dutse Azare was reportedly arrested over a tweet accusing the First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari, of "eating poor people's money" Meanwhile, the parents of the students have appealed to the first lady to forgive and release their son The Jigawa state police command has said it has no hand in the arrest of a 500-level student of the Federal University, Dutse. The student, identified as Aminu Azare, was reportedly arrested for posting a tweet accusing the First Lady of Nigeria,  Aisha Buhari , of "eating poor people's money". The Jigawa state police command said it was not involved in the reported arrest of Aminu Azare over his anti-Aisha Buhari comment. Photo credits: Baba Azare, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari Source: Facebook The tweet, which was written in Hausa and accompanied by a photo of the first lady, read in English: “ Mama has eaten p...

The Osun State House of Assembly says the state will continue to be referred to as ‘state of Osun’ as against ‘Osun state’. The development was announced on Monday in a statement by Kunle Akande, the house committee chairman on media and publicity. On Sunday, while making his inauguration speech, Ademola Adeleke, the Osun governor, ordered an immediate reversal to ‘Osun state’ instead of ‘state of Osun’, which was adopted during the Rauf Aregbesola administration. Speaking on the development, the Osun assembly said the adoption of ‘state of Osun’ is “a matter of law”. “The usage of the state anthem, crest and flag is an enactment of law and as such, its usage is a matter of law and not choice,” the statement reads. “The enactment ‘state of Osun anthem, crest and flag law, 2012’ assented to on the 18th of December, 2012 contained in Schedule I, II, III, IV and V, which carefully details every component of this law is not in ambiguity. “Schedule I is the State Anthem, Schedule II has to ...

Court of Appeal Headquarters The Court of Appeal has set aside a judgment of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, ordering the conduct of fresh primaries by the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. The Ibadan division of the appeal court gave the ruling on Monday. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Justice O O Oguntoyin of the high court, on 27th September, directed the State Executive Committee of the PDP to conduct fresh primaries within 14 days. But while delivering judgment in an appeal filed by the PDP, Justice Folasade Ojo of the appeal court ruled that the lower court was wrong in its judgment as only the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP is vested with the power to conduct primaries. The PDP in Ogun is split into three factions with three different caniddiates claiming to be the governorship candidate of the party. However, the party’s headquarters in Abuja recongnises Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the party. Details later…

The Court of Appeal Abuja on Monday affirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the authentic All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District. POLITICS NIGERIA reports that a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State which held that the President of the senate Ahmad Lawan, is not the APC candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District in respect of the 2023 election. The court had submitted that Lawan did not participate in the legally-recognised primary election of the APC to select its candidate in the election held in May 2022. Recall that while Lawan, picked the presidential form of the APC and participated in the primary election that was won by former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, Machina contested and won his bid to take over as the candidate of the party for the senatorial contest. Following his defeat at the presidential primary election, ...

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has dethroned three monarchs appointed by his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola. Former Governor Oyetola has appointed several monarch few weeks before handing over government to Adeleke. These, including Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Yinusa Akadiri, Aree of Iree, Oba Ademola Oluponle and Oba Adegboyega Famodun. The former governor also approved the appointment of 30 permanent secretaries into the various ministries. However, Adeleke in statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed about 24 hours after inauguration announced that the thrones of Akirun of Akirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo remain unoccupied pending the outcome of a Committee of Inquiry to review their appointments and subsequent installations. Osun Governor, Ademola Adeleke replaced sacked APC LG chairmen with civil servants According to the statement, the six Executive Orders issued by the governor which borders on reversal of monarchs appointments, appointment and placement of ci...

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun has directed career heads of local government areas (LGAs) and area councils development areas (ACDAs) to take charge of their councils from the sacked council chairmen and councillors. The directive is contained in a statement issued by Adeleke’s spokesman, Mal. Olawale Rasheed, on Monday, November 28, 2022. The directive took immediate effect. “Governor Adeleke also directed the most senior career heads across all the local government areas to take charge of their councils,” the statement said. “This is in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo that sacked the council d local government chairmen and councillors.” On Friday, November 25, 2022, Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Osogbo Division of the Federal High Court declared the local government election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission null and void. Ayo-Emmanuel delivered the judgment based on a PDP suit, asking the co...

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State The newly sworn-in Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, made his first appointment as he named Rasheed Olawale as his Chief Press Secretary. Adeleke also approved the appointment of Kazeem Akinleye as his Chief of Staff and Teslim Igbalaye as the Secretary to the State Government. The appointments, according to the governor, take immediate effect. Adeleke, who was sworn in on Sunday froze all government accounts and also reversed the state’s name from the State of Osun to Osun State. The ‘Dancing Senator’ as he is called accused his predecessor Gboyega Oyetola of taking some malicious actions against him including the appointment of permanent secretaries. Adeleke thus ordered the “immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions. Immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets. An immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major dec...

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina  President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief spokesman, Femi Adesina, has disclosed that his principal can’t wait to leave the presidency. Adesina explained that being in power comes with a lot of work with little appreciation from Nigerians. He disclosed this on Channels TV on Sunday night while reacting to Buhari’s remark that he can’t wait to leave power. Recall that in July, Buhari had in a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, described his seven years in office as “tough”. The president, who said he was “eager to go”, disclosed this when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), legislators and political leaders at his residence in Daura, Katsina State, during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. Reacting to the development, Adesina said: “Those of us who have been with him since 2015 are also counting down, we can’t wait to leave.” On why people want to get out of the presidency, Adesina said: “It’s a lot o...

The Qatar World Cup is set to get underway this winter where Brazil are the favourites as France look to defend their crown that they won in Russia four years ago - but who won't be there? Yugoslavia no longer exist but were a footballing powerhouse As the planet's nations descend onto to Qatar ahead of the  World Cup  this winter, it might be time to look back at old tournaments where history enshrines some countries that do not even exist anymore. Some countries such as the Soviet Union and Zaire have took part in the World Cup - but never will again after dissolving as nations. Some were even very successful, winning the competition before disappearing into the history books. So, who are these mysterious nations that no longer exist but have turned up to the World Cup over the years? Czechoslovakia In 1992, Czechoslovakia dissolved but not before they had qualified for eight World Cups (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1990) and finishing runners-up in two of them ...

A woman arrived in a store wearing clothes that showed her body all too well. The shop owner, being a wise older man, took a good look at her, asked her to sit down, looked straight into her eyes, and said something she would never forget for the rest of her life. “Young Lady, everything that God has made valuable in this world, is covered up and hard to see or find." For example: Where can you find diamonds? • In the ground, covered and protected. Where are the pearls? • Deep in the ocean, covered and protected in a beautiful shell. Where can you find gold? • Underground, covered with layers of rock, and to get there you have to work very hard and dig deep. He looked at her again and said, "Your body is sacred and unique to God." You are far more precious than gold, diamonds, and pearls, therefore you must be covered too. He then added: "If you keep your precious minerals like gold, diamonds, and pearls deeply covered, a “reputable mining organization” ...