Government at all tiers have been urged to encourage skills acquisition and vocational training in secondary schools, to be able to meet the urgent labour needs of the country as well as to prepare the youth for a better future. 

This advice was given by a National Youth Service Corps member, Igbagboyemi Odu while moderating a skill acquisition training organised with eleven other members to equip the Senior Secondary School, SSS1 and SSS2 students of Ayo Grammar School, Ipogun, in Ifedore local government area of Ondo State with knowledge on the production of tie and dye.

The twelve NYSC members who are Wariboko Stella, Odu Igbagboyemi, Gbadegeshin Kehinde, Aderoju Adewale, Ulokwe Chioma, Aboy John, Ugwuoke Lilian, Asogwa Kate, Wuba Anthonia, Udofia Enobong, Jirgba Benjamin and Adegoke Abolaji said the free tie and dye session was part of their contributions to assist government and empower the youth, as part of their community development services. 

While Igbagboyemi led the programme, Stella enlightened the students on types of skills and benefits of such trainings. Others were also available to facilitate the practical training as the students were made to produce their own tie and dye.

 The twelve Corp members expressed their appreciation to the school principal Mrs Modupe Ademoyewa and the school teachers for their approval, support and contribution to the skills acquisition programme.

A former member of the house of Representatives, Chief Oladipupo Adebutu has emerged as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP in Ogun State. 

The primary election which took place on Wednesday, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL in Abeokuta saw Adebutu defeating the trio of Otunba Segun Sowunmi, Otunba Jimi Lawal Adebisi and Abodunrin Adeyemi.

Out of the 716 votes casted Adebutu scored a total votes of 715, while the other aspirants had no vote with one vote voided. 

The PDP electoral panel, headed by Prof Akase Sorkaa while announcing the result at the late hours of the day said, "of this result Honourable Adebutu Oladipupo is hereby declared the winner" while the shouts of "say LADO" rented the air.

Meanwhile, there was complete pandemonium at the beginning of the election following the sporadic gunshots that rented the air.

Journalists, party delegates and supporters who had stormed the venue of the exercise scampered for safety as loyalists of two governorship aspirants, Oladipupo Adebutu and Jimi Lawal clashed over the delegate list to be adopted for the exercise.

The exercise which started around 5:pm was disrupted following a shouting match and clash over the delegate list.

Nigerian Newstrack gathered that there was tension over the agitation for the use of delegate list from the national.

Trouble started shortly after the chairman of the PDP electoral panel, Prof Akase Sorkaa announced the mode of conduct of the exercise.

Our correspondent who was at the venue observed that some loyalists of Lawal, an ex-banker raised an objection, rejecting a delegate list brought from the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

This led to a shouting match between supporters of Lawal and Adebutu who also engaged one another pushing and shoving.

One of the media aides of Lawal, Austin Oniyokor, who brought some documents claiming to have been certified by the INEC, insisted that the exercise must not take place unless the said document is adopted.

The drama which lasted for over 30 minutes saw security operatives helpless while INEC officials temporarily relocated from the hall.

“This exercise cannot be conducted with a fake list. These are INEC-generated documents. These are your certified documents,” Oniyokor shouted while addressing INEC officials.

While still waiting for the party officials to find solutions to the impasse, sound of gunshots from outside the hall caused journalists and other delegates to scamper for safety.

Meanwhile, earlier in a parallel election another governorship aspirant, Segun Showunmi, was declared as the party governorship candidate by a group.

The group which held a primary at the NUJ Secretariat, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, announced Showunmi as the PDP governorship candidate in the state.

Acclaimed Chairman of the electoral committee at the election, Abayomi Daniel, announced Showunmi as the winner after polling 554 votes to defeat his closest rival, Lawal who scored 30 votes, while Adebutu polled 15 votes.

According to Daniel, a total number of 778 delegates were accredited, 702 votes were cast while three votes were voided.

Sowunmi in his acceptance speech called on other aspirants to work together with him to secure victory for the party in the 2023 general elections.

He said, “I humbly accept the nomination as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Ogun State. I thank all the delegates, I thank all relevant authorities and the security for their efforts.

Lauretta Fagbohun, OGUN

..as Ladi Adebutu, Jimi Lawal attend another primary election in OOPL

The Atiku Spokesman, Otunba Segun Sowunmi has emerged the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State in a parallel election, just as another primary is on-going in Abeokuta.

Sowunmi, who is contesting to be governor of Ogun State under PDP had his parallel primary election at the Nigeria Union of Journalist secretariat, Oke-ilewo, Abeokuta.

He polled 554 votes to beat Jimi Lawal and Oladipupo Adebutu who polled 30 and 15 votes respectively.

The election was observed by INEC official and representative of the Intra Party Advisory Committee, IPAC.

While speaking with journalists after the election, Sowunmi thanked all his social media gang, party leaders and other stakeholders for their cooperation.

Meanwhile, the defeated Adebutu and Lawal were slugging it out with each other as at the time of filing this report at another primary election at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL in Abeokuta.

Lauretta Fagbohun, OGUN

Some aggrieved aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have threatened to go to court over the party's primaries in Ogun state, especially the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections held on Monday, May 23.

The aggrieved members including Dada Oduntan for Ogun Central senatorial District, Solomon Enilolobo for Abeokuta South Constituency 1, Olawale Soyode for Ifo/Ewekoro Federal constituency, Samuel Abiodun for Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi Owode Federal Constituency, Makanjuola Kazeem for Ewekoro state constituency and Akeem Amosun for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, held a press conference at Iwe Iroyin, Abeokuta, to express their grievances regarding the party primaries with a threat to go to court if denied their mandates by the Leadership of the party.

Addressing journalists on behalf of other candidates, Akeem Amosun claimed they were fully elected by delegates at the designated venue scheduled by PDP.

He said the exercise, was fully monitored by the officials of the independent National Electoral Comission(INEC),security operatives including the police, Directorate of state services(DSS),Nigeria Security and Civil Defence(NSCDC).

Amosun explained they were all amazed, when they heard the names of PDP candidates, which were announced as different from what transpired at the venues of their own primaries, displaying the schedule of the primary and the centers.

He said they would resist any attempt,to substitute their names to a logical level.

In his words “We are the authentic candidates elected by the authentic delegates at the authentic venue. We shall resist any attempt to do otherwise.We are using this medium to alert the National Secretariat of the party. We shall not hesitate to go to court.”

Amosun added that it was a rude shock to them when they heard that much later in the evening of Monday after they had long concluded their primaries at the designated places as approved by the party and INEC, another set of candidates who never followed the party guidelines were said to have also emerged for same offices at another primaries held at the state secretariat of the party.

Samuel Olufemi Abiodun who was said to have emerged as the party candidate for Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency disclosed that the height of the illegalities could be traced to a governorship aspirant who he claimed has hijacked the party.

While claiming to be the authentic candidates of the party in the state, they alleged that the electoral process was flawed with disagreements on the list of delegates and other allegations of manipulation.

They said the venues where they observed their primary election was approved by the Party’s state Chairman, Hon. Sikirulah Ogundele.

They also said the Federal House of Representatives primaries was held at the designated venue, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) while the House of Assembly constituency 1 primary election was held at Centenary Hall, Ake, and that of constituency 2 was held at Ijeja town hall, Ibara, Abeokuta. 

According to them, all were at the designated venues for the elections in the presence of INEC, DSS, and different Police formations including the DPOs, the SCID, and NSCDC.

One of the assembly aspirants, Solomon Enilolobo, who is vying to represent Abeokuta South state constituency 1, told Nigerian Newstrack that some segments of the press reported that they held their election at the PDP Secretariat at night and the truth needed to be addressed.

He said, “We understand some people came from Abuja but we were not aware of their presence and we do not know their whereabouts”.

“We waited for them at the designated venues for the primaries, but we did not see them. We want them to challenge us if they ever step their feet on the designated venues”, Enilolobo added.

Enilolobo alleged that the materials used for the primary elections were provided by the party in Ogun state.

The increasing spate of insecurity in Ogun state, especially in the state capital, Abeokuta took a new dimension on Tuesday as there was pandemonium along Isabo, Ijaye, Ijeun Tuntun and Ago Ijesha area of Abeokuta South, when suspected cultists embarked on a free for all gun battle with policemen.

Nigerian Newstrack reporter who ran into the crisis saw passersby running helter-skelter, as they scamper for safety.

Motorists were seen turning back with shop owners shutting their shops along the areas as policemen engage the hoodlums in a face-off.

Nigerian Newstrack reliably gathered that the pandemonium broke out, after unknown gunmen allegedly killed two people, yet to be identified, in front of a popular petrol station at Ijaiye roundabout on Monday night.

This development was barely  24 hours after another suspected cultist was killed on Sunday night at Quarry, in Abeokuta.

The Ogun State police command is yet to make any official statement on the situation as the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi could not be reached. 

The State house of assembly and house of Representatives primary elections conducted today at the Shomolu Secretariat of the Peoples'Democratic Party, PDP in Lagos have been described as illegal and a fraudulent sham that can not stand, but should be disregarded. 

An aspirant of the Party, vying to represent Somolu Federal Constituency at the lower chamber of the National assembly, Mr Babatunde Aleshinloye-Williams made this Statement while explaining that 'the Lagos State PDP had not only canceled yesterday's primaries but urged the National working committee, NWC of the party to re-schedule it'. 

According to him, "you can not build something on nothing. The Lagos State chapter of the PDP at a news conference had urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to cancel the House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries slated for today (Sunday) in Lagos".

"This the Chairman of the Party, Mr Phillips Aivoji alongside other state executives, 5 governorship aspirants and party leaders said the ad-hoc delegates lists brought by the party's electoral committees for both primaries had been compromised" Aleshinloye-Williams said.

Mr Aleshinloye-Williams who said he was invited to the party Secretariat to discuss modalities for the election, where he had intended to call the LGA chairman's attention to the fact that the State executives had postponed the election, stated that he was shocked to see that the election was well on the way, and in fact almost completed. 

He said, the whole process amounts to nullity as he was not part of the electoral fraud which was against the directives of the Lagos State PDP, stressing that the whole process is null and void. 

The house of Representatives hopeful wondered how any legal primary election can be conducted without the proper delegates list and the national electoral committee, most especially when the state PDP had postponed the exercise. 

He said the exercise was fraudulent, illegal and a sham that must be disregarded, saying "the election never took place as far as he was concerned".

Aleshinloye-Williams urged his teeming supporters and party faithfuls to stay focus and wait for the State's directives on the  assembly and representatives primary elections.

Federal Government has slammed a new tax on phone calls in the nation to fund free healthcare for the Vulnerable Group in Nigeria.

This is despite recent moves by telecommunication companies to increase the price of their services as a result of an unfavourable operating climate.

The telecom tax in the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls is part of the sources of funds required to finance free healthcare for the Vulnerable Group in Nigeria.

This is contained in the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

The act includes a provision under Section 26 subsection 1c which states that the source of money for the Vulnerable Group Fund includes telecommunications tax, not less than one kobo per second of GSM calls.

The Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Taiwo Oyedele, said, “S.26 of this new law imposes a telecommunications tax of not less than 1kobo per second on GSM calls. With call rates at about 11 kobo per second, this translates to a 9 per cent tax on GSM calls.

“The tax is one of the sources of money to the Vulnerable Group Fund to subsidise the provision of healthcare to the group defined to include children under five, pregnant women, the aged, physically and mentally challenged, and the indigent as may be defined from time to time.”

According to the act, the Vulnerable Group Fund is money budgeted to pay for healthcare services for vulnerable Nigerians who cannot pay for health insurance in a bid to subsidise the cost of provision of health care services to vulnerable people in the country.

For funding, the act provides several options such as basic health care provision fund to the authority; health insurance levy; telecommunications tax, not less than one kobo per second of GSM calls; money that may be allocated to the Vulnerable Group Fund by the Government; motley that accrues to the Vulnerable Group Fund from investments made by the Council: and grants, donations, gifts, and any other voluntary contributions made to the Vulnerable Group Fund.

According to the new act, every resident in Nigeria is expected to obtain health insurance.

Recently, telecom companies wrote to the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, on the conditions of the industry.

The operator under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria proposed a 40 per cent increase in the cost of calls, SMS, and data as a result of the rising cost of operating in the nation.

In an effort to protect Nigerians who provide information to security agencies during an investigation and prosecution of offences, the Federal Government has made a provision that allows Nigerians to be kept in foreign countries under witness protection.

Similarly, there is a provision that allows foreigners to be kept in Nigeria under witness protection.

This is according to the Witness Protection Act 2022, which President Muhammadu Buhari had recently assented to and passed into law.

Under Section 17 of the Act titled ‘Agreements with international bodies, institutions, organisations or foreign countries’, it stated that the relevant security agency would require the approval of the Attorney General before making any arrangement with a foreign country or organisation.

The Act read in part, “The relevant agency may, with the approval of the Attorney-General, make an arrangement with a foreign state, international body, institution or organisation on any matter relating to cooperation between Nigeria and that State, international body, institution or organization relating to witness protection.

“The relevant agency may enter into an agreement, either in general or on specific terms and conditions with a competent authority in a foreign country in order to (a) place a protected person under a witness protection arrangement administered by that country; or (b) admit a protected person to witness protection arrangement under any law applicable to that country.”

The provisions of this Act are applicable to the investigation and prosecution of offences relating to terrorism, money laundering prevention and prohibition, and economic and financial crimes.

Other areas of offence include corrupt practices and other related offences, drugs and narcotics and their trafficking, trafficking in persons, criminal and penal code offences, and Customs and excise management.

It also covers any legislation dealing with proceeds of crimes, confiscation and forfeiture of assets, and such other offences as may be contained in enactments enacted by the National Assembly and designated by the Attorney-General by an order published in the Federal Gazette.

To qualify as a witness under this Act, a person is required to have information about the commission of an offence or wrongdoing, and has given, is giving, or agreed to give evidence on behalf of the state in the proceedings for the trial of the offence, or hearings or proceedings relating to the offence or wrongdoing before an authority which is declared by the Attorney-General by an order published in the Federal Gazette to be an authority to which this paragraph applies.

A witness can also be a person who has made a statement to the Inspector-General of Police or a member of the Nigeria Police Force, or a law enforcement officer, in relation to an offence in contravention of law in Nigeria.

It can also be a person required to give evidence in a prosecution or an inquiry held before a court or tribunal outside Nigeria for a number of stipulated purposes; or who has given, is giving or has agreed to give, the evidence before an investigating authority, a commission of inquiry or tribunal.

Family members or anyone in a relationship with a witness may require protection or other assistance under this Act.

Many entrepreneurs talk of loyalty in business partnerships, staff loyalty (or lack of) and loyalty in relationships. These founders expect people to be loyal to them and often get upset when they are not.

If this sounds like you, think of how much frustration or pain it caused you to hold on to the fantasy that people are loyal to you. How disappointed you've been in others when they did not live up to your expectations. 

Well, sorry to point out the harsh reality, but no one was born to please you and live up to your unrealistic expectations of them-- not your kids, your staff, your partner and definitely not your customers.

Expecting someone to live their life to meet or exceed your expectations is, at best, naive and, at worst, arrogance. Expecting someone to be loyal to you is like expecting a fish to bark and then being annoyed when it opened its mouth but nothing but air came out. But that's what a fish does, all while you're thinking, damn you for not barking when I wanted you to.

It might seem somewhat sad to come to this fact, like when your kids leave home. But once you're used to your kids leaving home, you now have a lot of space and time in your life to focus on yourself. You accept it because you accept your kids lead their own life, not yours.

It is the same when holding on to the romanticism or delusion that people are loyal to you. If someone applies for a job and gives one-third of their 24 hours a day to work 'for' you, they are not working 'for' you. They are working for themselves. They are working to pay their bills, buy their free time and progress in their career.

It is their career progression, not yours. If you are married to someone, they may be more married to their (your) kids or their career, more than to you. No one wants to accept that kids or a career could be more important to their partner than you, but this is often the case.

And I think this is actually how it should be.

You see, we all have a hierarchy of values. Selfish things are most important to us. Each one of us has our own, individual, unique values hierarchy; even twins have different values.

If my career is my highest, a family might be yours. Your partner may have business as their highest value, you might have freedom. We will also consciously and unconsciously prioritize our highest values, selfishly, above all else-- and above everyone else.

We are only loyal to our own values

And we need to be. Our survival depends on it. We have a selfish gene, and it's a damn good thing we do or we'd all be lemmings. Put your own gas mask on first.

If others appear loyal to us, it's because they meet or align with our highest values. We have things in common. Sometimes (often) temporarily, like when someone works for you for 3 years, but then sets up in competition against you. Sometimes it's for decades, like with a marriage or senior partner.

Letting go of this delusion of loyalty towards you and becoming humble to others' selfish needs and values actually makes us more powerful, and paradoxically more able to align loyalty and create influence.

Simply understand that others are selfishly loyal to their values, and care enough about them to find their highest values. Then align your interests and influence to meet their values, not your values, and they will spontaneously appear loyal to you, because they are loyal to their values.

Help someone progress their career with you and they will not leave. Help a customer get great service and their needs met and they won't go with a cheaper option. Help your partner meet their highest needs and values and they will help you meet yours because we become selfless when our selfish needs are met-- but only when they are met.

Great pain exists in the size of the gap between delusion and reality. That's why 'disloyalty' can hurt so much. But no one is disloyal to you, they are only loyal to themselves. They owe you nothing. Accepting this narrows the pain gap.

You can even experience great empathy in this level of understanding

I used to experience much pain when people would set up in competition against me. I'd given them a platform. Taught them all they knew. Showed them the way. And this is what they do to me?

Here's the irony. I'd done exactly the same to my first employer. Once it had happened to me I had empathy for him. Once I had empathy for him, I was able to see the cycle of life and have empathy for the many who've set up their own business off the back of mine. 

I let go of the delusion of loyalty, which not only held me back from fully training staff members I thought would screw me, but I held onto the resentment for many years after.

In fact, it gave me deep gratitude to think I was able to help my competitors on their journey. I was a part of their success and that is a great gift. They gave me one-third of their 24 hours a day for 2, 3 or 5 years-- what an honor to be chosen by them to give this gift.

I'd far rather have trained and mentored many of my competitors than someone else do it because I know them better and can claim some of that credit. Plus, I'd have fired them in a heartbeat if I'd found out they weren't loyal to me, so how is that loyal to them? It's not, because I too am not loyal to anyone other than my highest values.

So, in summary, discover people's values and their selfish loyalties by asking them what's most important to them. Listen, take notes, and link their highest values to your desired actions, influence and loyalties, and you create loyalty. Not to you, but to themselves, which is far more powerful.

If you don't risk anything, you risk everything.

Two persons have been confirmed dead while three persons sustained injuries in a fresh building collapse on Alayaki Lane, Lagos Island.

It was learnt that the three storey building which was under construction came down during a heavy rainfall in the area.

The Lagos Terrorial Head of National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident.

“Three rescued alive and two died. Responders are on the way,” he said.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyitolu, said preliminary investigation revealed that the building was being constructed in violation of the safety protocols.

He said, “The agency responded to the incident which was already in violation of building safety protocols. It was discovered that the building had been captured by the LASBCA District Office and served with all statutory notices, sealed at district and central enforcement level.

“Further investigation showed that the developer had continued clandestine operations mostly at night and at the weekends.

“An unconfirmed number of people are still trapped inside the building. Two people have been rescued alive while another was recovered dead. Search and rescue operations ongoing.”

Lagos State has become notorious for building collapse in recent times, claiming lives and inflicting injuries.

No fewer than 10 persons were killed on Sunday, May 1, 2022 when a three storey building collapsed at Ebute Metta, Lagos Mainland.