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Monday, 28 April 2025

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Sunday, 27 April 2025

Kogi Can Boast Of Some Best Public Schools In Nigeria – Fanwo

LAGOS – The Kogi State Government has asserted that the state can boast of some of the most beautiful and well-equipped public schools in Nigeria.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo said the government has consistently prioritised educational funding, committing resources that surpass the UNESCO benchmark for education investment.

According to him, flagship projects like the GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo in Lokoja, alongside similar projects completed, or ongoing in Kogi Central, East, and West senatorial districts, are clear testaments to the State’s ambition to revolutionise school infrastructure.

He added that the “blue roof revolution” initiated under the immediate past administration to modernize primary school facilities has continued with vigor under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

According to him, the initiative, has significantly restored public confidence in the state’s public education system by making school environments more attractive and conducive for learning.

“The Model Schools completed and those under construction are equipped with state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure, excellent laboratories, digital libraries, and modern sporting facilities,” the Commissioner said. “The government sees the initiative not just as an upgrade of facilities, but as a way to make quality education affordable and accessible to children from less privileged backgrounds.”

He further emphasised that the educational infrastructure drive is a continuous process aimed at gradually phasing out ageing school buildings across the state, noting that more projects are underway to ensure that no part of Kogi State is left behind.

“Despite already having some of the most beautiful public schools in the country, the Ododo Administration has continued to invest heavily in educational infrastructure at all levels,” the Commissioner stated. “Model school projects are ongoing across the state to make our primary and secondary schools better and more attractive. As a proud product of public schools himself, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is determined to rebuild public trust in public education across the state.”

He also highlighted the administration’s efforts in repositioning the state’s higher institutions of learning, revealing that campuses across Kogi have effectively become construction sites in the government’s quest to transform them into centres of academic excellence.

The Commissioner assured that education will not be politicized under the Ododo Administration, stressing that the Governor regards education as the bedrock for the sustainable development of Kogi State.

Gov Fintiri Orders Emir’s Suspension Over Misconduct

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has suspended the Emir of Daware, Alhaji Hassan Ja’afaru, indefinitely after findings of misconduct were confirmed against him.

The action, communicated via a letter dated April 25, 2025, was made public on Sunday.

Signed by the Permanent Secretary of Chieftaincy Affairs, Adama Mamman, the suspension letter ordered the traditional leader to immediately hand over all government properties to the district secretary.

The letter partly reads, “Following a series of complaints made against you for maladministration, corruption, breach of security, confiscation of farmlands and creating a vacuum that has led to all traditional issues remaining unattended, as a result of your non-staying in your domain, I am therefore directed by the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, to suspend you from office indefinitely. You are, therefore, requested to hand over all government properties in your possession to the district scribe pending further actions.”

The state government cited allegations of corruption, poor governance, and security breaches as major reasons for the action against Ja’afaru, who was the former district head of Daware in Fufore Local Government Area.

Governor Fintiri, known for his firm position on transparency, reiterated that his administration’s anti-corruption efforts would not spare any sector, including traditional institutions.

Reports suggest that Ja’afaru’s absence from his domain and mishandling of traditional affairs had drawn significant concerns from residents, prompting official complaints to the state government.

Officials further hinted that investigations are ongoing and could lead to additional measures depending on new findings.

Concern Grows Over Online Conduct Of U.S.-Based Nurse Following Mohbad’s Death

Concerned citizens have raised alarms over the online behavior of a U.S.-based nurse, Karimot Titilayo Ogunbayo Oyedara, following the death of Nigerian Afrobeats singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

Oyedara, believed to reside in Rhode Island and to hold a nursing license, has drawn attention with her repeated criticisms of Mr. Olwabamiwo Joseph Aloba, the late singer’s father.

In a recent Instagram video, Oyedara made remarks that some observers have described as cyberbullying and potentially inciting.

Mohbad died on September 11, 2023, under circumstances that sparked widespread public interest and ongoing investigations.

Reports from individuals close to the family, alleged that a domestic dispute involving the late singer and his partner, Omowunmi Adebanjo, preceded his death.

Since then, Oyedara, identified as Adebanjo’s sister, has frequently commented on the situation via social media, particularly TikTok.

In past videos, she has admitted to having a history of violent tendencies and referred to alleged incidents of violence within her family.

Most recently, Oyedara was recorded encouraging actions against Mr. Aloba that many found concerning. In one video, she suggested he should be harmed — a statement that has prompted significant backlash online.

Shortly after Mohbad’s death, Oyedara also claimed to have spent six hours speaking with Mr. Aloba, allegedly persuading him not to bury the singer prematurely. This narrative fueled rumors and conspiracy theories surrounding the burial, though Oyedara has since publicly retracted the claim.

Given the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigations into Mohbad’s death, community advocates have urged authorities to monitor online commentary that could endanger individuals or escalate tensions.

A collective statement from concerned citizens emphasized: “If any harm were to come to Mr. Olwabamiwo Joseph Aloba, we believe appropriate investigations must examine the impact of ongoing online statements and actions.”

The statement also called on the Rhode Island community and relevant professional bodies to take note of concerns regarding Oyedara’s conduct, stressing the need for accountability to protect the public.

Christian publishers can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now

Christian publishers can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now, when it comes to the effects of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Neither reciprocal tariffs on various nations nor tariffs specific to China apply to Bibles and other religious books, according to an April 24 email to Christianity Today from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP told CT it could not speak to the administration’s general tariff strategy regarding religious literature.

As the administration unrolled its responsive tariff plan in April, Christian publishers spent weeks juggling “a lot of questions” and “a lot of uncertainty,” said Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

The administration listed books, including Bibles, as exempt from the reciprocal tariffs Trump announced April 2 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

But tariffs on Chinese goods enacted under a separate statute to curb the flow of fentanyl and opioids had not clearly designated Bibles or other religious literature as exempt. CBP clarified that these tariffs also exclude the category of “Bibles, testaments, prayer books and other religious books.”

The question of whether China tariffs apply to Bibles is no small issue. China has specialized in Bible-printing technology for decades—by some counts, producing more than 75 percent of all new Bibles.

The country’s largest Bible-maker, Amity Printing Company, printed 17 million copies in the past 12 months. Amity operates in partnership with the United Bible Societies and says it has exported Bibles in 229 languages. A counter tallies the total number of Bibles to come across its printing lines over its 37-year history: 277 million as of this week.

Bibles Threatened by US Trade War with China, Christian Publishers Warn

J. Y. Lee

Bible publishers and distributors see a missional advantage to printing in China, since cheaper production costs make Bibles more affordable and more accessible.

“To import Bibles from a country other than China would require time, extensive quality tests, and higher prices incompatible with the high and consistent demand for Bibles in the United States,” the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said in a 2019 statement, the last time copies of Scripture from China escaped Trump’s tariffs.

The recent tariff threat falls during a period of high demand for Bibles; Bible sales overall were up 20 percent last year and up 30 percent among certain publishers.

Days after the announcement at the start of April, it was “all hands on deck” at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, president and chief executive Mark Schoenwald told The Wall Street Journal. HarperCollins publishes several translations, including the New International Version, the King James Version, and the New King James Version.

But as the weeks went on, Christian publishers continued to wait for clarity.

Tyndale House Publishers, which releases the New Living Translation and the One Year Bible, told CT through its spokesperson, “We are still waiting for Washington to sort through the many details involved.” Lifeway Christian Resources’ Devin Maddox said the Southern Baptist publishing arm, which offers the Christian Standard Bible, was “continuing to monitor this very fluid situation.”

In a Bible Publishing Boom, All Scripture Is Profitable

Christopher Kuo

Despite the current good news for religious publishers, the climate of economic uncertainty lingers across the industry. Some experts have cautioned that the Trump administration sends mixed signals.

“Right now, there are not clear lines of distinction about who’s running what” portions of tariff policy in the administration “and who’s responsible for what,” said Stephen Kho, an international trade lawyer who served in the office of the US Trade Representative during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. “The decisions being made right now are not running through the normal interagency process. A lot of it is driven by what’s going on in the White House.”

This week, Trump softened his stance on Chinese tariffs overall and indicated the countries could negotiate a lower rate.

Tariffs on the paper used for printing books had also been a concern for publishers after Trump announced potential tariffs on wood-related products, including paper.

Of the $1.82 billion in uncoated paper imported to the US in 2023, 67 percent came from Canada, according to Publishers Weekly. But CBP told CT it is not aware of any tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, the law cited by Trump in his executive order on wood products, that would target religious books.