Social Reporters News Service, published by IOE Publishers - CAC/BN/3400383

By Osaretin Olaye Ekpoma: The spokesman of Ebhodiza community of Ekpoma, in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State – Jack Ihonre, luckily escaped being killed by communal thugs as a result of a lingering crisis over land dispute between his community Ebhodiza, and neighbouring Ukpoke community.                                                     Jack Ihonre The Nigerian Observer learnt that the crisis which started since 21st December, 2015, when Ukpoke community evaded Ebhodiza community, has resulted to the loss of about 86 members of the community and wanton destruction of property. This has made most of the people to flee from the community, to places where they can be guaranteed protection and security. Our findings revealed that Jack Ihonre who was preparing to go to work in the morning of 21st December, 2015, heard a knock on his door, and as he opened the door, three middle aged men dragged him outside and started beating him, using machet to inflict injury on

Jose Mourinho Jose Mourinho was on the verge of fulfilling his dream of managing Manchester United on Tuesday after Louis van Gaal’s troubled two-year reign came to a bitter end. The path was clear for the former Chelsea manager to be confirmed as the new United boss after Van Gaal was sacked Monday. That is the price of failing to get one of the world’s biggest clubs into the Champions League. Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes was reported by British media to be in negotiations to tie up a deal. It sets the stage for one of the sport’s most intriguing characters to at last manage the Red Devils after a glittering career that so far features 21 major trophies, including three English Premier League crowns and two Champions League titles. Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December after a miserable campaign marred by rifts with the club’s star players that eventually became intolerable to owner Roman Abramovich as the team, champions just months earlier, languished nea

President Muhammadu Buhari The Federal Government on Tuesday said it had recorded a savings of about N220bn since April 2007 when it commenced the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System. A statement from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, said that the amount is expected to increase when other agencies of government are enrolled into the platform. The IPPIS is one of the Federal Government’s reform initiative conceived to transform the Nigerian public service aimed at improving the management of human resources and providing a centralised payroll system in the service. The project implementation commenced at the Bureau of Public Service Reforms before its management was transferred to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in October 2008. The project went live in April 2007 with seven pilot Ministries, Departments and Agencies and its objective include centralised payment of salaries; a

Christabel Goddy ’Nonye Ben-Nwankwo, and Ademola Olonilua Fast rising actress, Christabel Goddy, may be new in the industry but she already knows how it feels to be in the middle of a controversy. The young lady is the actress that allegedly bit off the skin of her colleague, Princess Chineke, during a fight some months ago. Ever since then, she has been dubbed the ‘cannibal actress,’ a name she told Saturday Beats she detests. And since she claimed the then Actors Guild of Nigeria president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, banned her from AGN and supported Chineke, Goddy said Ibinabo got what she deserved in her latest crisis. While Chineke has told the world her side of the story concerning her fight with Chineke, Goddy had kept mum until now. Saying her side of the story, the up and coming actress said trouble started when the duo were paired together to share a room during a movie production.  She said Chineke had repeatedly complained about her (Goddy) frequent mi

By Eranga Isaac   BENIN CITY - Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has stressed the need for men to support women in their quest to participate in active politics and occupy leadership positions. Speaking while playing host to the spouses of members of the Edo State House of Assembly who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Monday, Governor Oshiomhole said, “Part of the problem of women in our country is that too many men, based on wrong assumptions, don’t encourage their wives to be active in politics. Yet women account for at least a simple or slight majority of our population, and there is no field in which a man can excel that a woman cannot excel even better.    "The largest democracy on this planet which is India has been led and governed by a woman for many years, but it wasn’t possible without a supporting husband and family members. We have had a powerful woman in the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher. She won’t be forgotten in a h

Solaade Ayo-Aderele Any mother who has had a premature baby will confess that the experience is not a walk in the park. The reason is simple: Caring for a premature baby in resource-poor setting can be a challenge; and that’s one of the reasons a premature baby may not survive.   Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr. Funmi Samuel, says a normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks when measured from the first day of a woman’s last period. So, a baby that is born before a pregnancy clocks 37 weeks is considered premature. Grim statistics According to Born On Time (a collaboration between NGO, government and corporate partners working to improve newborn survival), pre-term birth is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five worldwide. The situation is such that more than one in 10 babies are born before they are due —representing 15 million premature births annually globally. Samuel says that in environments where there are resources to take care of pr

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu With barely five days to the first anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, stakeholders, no doubt, will like to assess  his leadership approach in the various sectors of the nation’s economy. And education is not going to be an exception. Issues bearing on funding, policies, stable academic calendar, among others, will be in the front burner of the discourse. But how well has the Buhari leadership fared in the last one year? While a few have given his tenure a pass mark, especially with regard to stable academic calendar and fighting corruption, many others say that more needs to be done to properly accomplish the ‘change mantra’ in the education sector. According to the Chairman of the  Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr. Caleb Aborisade, the Federal Government has not done anything significant in the sector in the past one year. The President, Abori

The Group Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Mr. Muminu Badmus, says the government has designed water distribution kiosks across the state to bridge the shortfall in water supply and connect more residents to the central water system operated by the government. According to him, residents will be able to buy potable water at a cheaper price from vendors operating the kiosks. Badmus said this at the inauguration of the Mosan Okunola Waterworks at the Abesan Housing Estate, Abesan. He explained that the corporation produced 210 million gallons per day as against the demand of 540 million gallons per day. Badmus said, “The waterworks was built to supply two million gallons per day to the residents of Abesan Estate, Baruwa and other communities around. “New water distribution kiosks are to be distributed across the state so that all the communities that have yet to be connected with the current water distribution network will have access to water supply.” I

The Queen speaks to David Cameron on Tuesday. Photograph: WPA Pool/Getty Images The PeoplesPeriscope has seen a video of British Prime Minister, PM David Cameron telling the Queen of England that Nigeria and Afghanistan are two of the most corrupt countries in the world, during a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the monarch’s 90th birthday. Cameron made the embarrassing remarks before the government’s anti-corruption summit on Thursday, at which Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, will deliver a keynote address entitled “Why we must tackle corruption together”. Cameron was overheard telling the monarch that “leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries” would be attending the meeting, before singling out the two nations. A spokesman for Buhari, who won elections last year vowing to fight corruption, said he was deeply “shocked and embarrassed” by the comments, which he assumed must refer to problems in Nigeria that pre-dated his presidency. A

Prof. Yemi Osibajo, Pastor Adeboye, others, at the Annual Lecture Series in commemoration of the 73rd birthday of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Premium Times Newspaper has revealed how Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who is well regarded across the country as a stickler for truth and integrity lied to members of top hierarchy of the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos during their Pastors and Leaders Retreat back in February 2016. The Paper reports that the nation’s number two citizen did not tell the truth regarding who can receive healthcare at the State House Medical Centre in Abuja. Mr. Osinbajo had on February 26, in Lagos, said the state house clinic was open for use by all Nigerians. The vice president was responding to questions at the Pastors and Leaders Retreat of the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos. He said the medical centre was a well-equipped g

The man who allegedly killed his wife in the Egbeda, Lagos area, Lekan Shonde, has told PUNCH Metro that his wife, Ronke provoked him by describing vividly how her lover slept with her in a hotel in Abuja. Lekan, a depot worker in the Apapa area of Lagos State, said his wife of eight years changed after she allegedly started dating the general manager of a publishing company. The Abeokuta, Ogun State indigene, said he regretted marrying Ronke, explaining that his late mother had warned him against the union, but he never listened. Our correspodnent had reported that Lekan and his wife, Ronke, lived on Tiemo Close, Off Awori Street, in the Egbeda-Idimu area. The marriage, which was blessed with two children, aged six and four, was said to have been marred with domestic violence.The crisis culminated in the death of Ronke on Thursday, after which her husband fled the house and locked up the children with their dead mother. He said the last time he beat his wife was

The Police on Monday cordoned off the premises of Edo House of Assembly to avert possible breakdown of law and order. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that more than 10 Hilux patrol vans and an Armoured Personnel Carrier were strategically positioned within and around the state assembly complex. There were also regular and mobile police operatives positioned at the three entrances to the assembly to  prevent access into the complex. Already, workers of the house of assembly have been prevented by the police from getting to their offices. The Police Public Relation Officer in the state, Mr Abiodun Osifo told NAN that the action was taken to avoid repetition of what happened last Wednesday at the complex. The crisis erupted on Wednesday after 16 members of the assembly removed the erstwhile Speaker of the House, Mr Victor Edoro. Edoro was replaced with Mrs Elizabeth Ativie. Suspected thugs, loyal to both sides, had after the speaker’s removal, taken over the asse