News & Announcements

Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Sammie Okposo reportedly died in the early hours of Friday.

According to multiple reports, the singer, who recently made headlines following a cheating scandal, slumped and died at his home on Friday morning.

He was 51.

Okposo set the internet ablaze early this year when he took to his verified Instagram page to apologize to his wife, Ozioma after cheating on her with another woman in the United States in an incident in 2021.

As a result of the scandal, the singer made the decision to take time off from ministration in order to retrace his step with God before returning back to ministry after a few months.

In May this year, the veteran singer escaped death by the whiskers in a ghastly car accident while driving at 3rd mainland bridge in Lagos but Okposo said he “was saved from the hands of the devil and his cohorts.”

Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, addressed at the flag-off ceremony for the resumption of history instruction at the elementary school level in Abuja on Thursday.

History has been reintroduced to the basic education curriculum in Nigeria.

13 years after it was eliminated, according to the FG, History will henceforth be taught as a stand-alone topic.

3,700 history teachers have been shortlisted for the first round of training for improved teaching of the subject, according to Adamu Adamu, minister of education, who spoke at the flag-off ceremony of the reintroduction of the teaching of history and training of history teachers at the basic education level on Thursday, November 23 in Abuja.

At the event, which was attended by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, and other significant players in the education sector, Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah Opiah, also stated that the lack of knowledge of Nigeria’s history as a result of its removal from the basic education curriculum threatens the nation’s cohesion and could cause it to revert to primitive sentiments.

He said; 

“History used to be one of the foundational subjects taught in our classroom but for some inexplicable reasons, the stream of teaching and learning was abolished.

“As a result, history was subsequently expunged from the list of subject combinations our students could offer in both external and internal examinations compared to the subjects that were made compulsory at basic and secondary levels in Nigeria.

“This single act no doubt relegated and eroded the knowledge and information that learners could otherwise have been exposed to. It was a monumental mistake and have already started seeing its negative consequences

“The loss created by the absence of this subject has led to a fall in moral values, erosion of civic values, and disconnect from the past. More worrisome was the neglect of the teaching of this subject at basic and post basic levels of education which invariably eroded the knowledge of the evolution of Nigeria as a country.

“The immediate implication of this was that we lost ideas even of our recent past, and we scarcely saw ourselves as one nation and gradually began retreating into our primordial sentiments.”

Gunmen shot and killed three police officers on top of the well-known Rumuokoro flyover on Thursday.

The unknown person who the dead police officers were accompanying was also kidnapped by the assailants.

According to witnesses, the event happened at three o’clock. The gunmen, who appeared to be wearing military gear, reportedly set up an ambush and waited for the convoy.

As a result of the gunshot, passengers were forced to escape for their lives.

An eyewitness reported that the gunmen operated without hindrance.

He said: “The shooting lasted for about five minutes. People scampered for safety as cars caused huge traffic.

“The gunmen abducted one individual who the policemen were escorting. They whisked her away in their vehicle.

The printing and release of rules for the Conduct of Political Rallies, Processions, and Campaigns as well as those of Finances and Election Expenses of Political Parties, Candidates, and Aspirants has been approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

As a result, it has established a limit of N50 million as the maximum sum of money or other assets that a person, a group of people, or a company may donate to a political party or candidate for election.

Political gatherings cannot be held in places of worship or government buildings, according to INEC.

“The maximum amount of money or other assets that an individual, a group of individuals or an entity can donate to a political party or aspirant for an election shall be N50,000,000 (fifty million Naira only).

“A Political Party shall not accept any monetary or other contribution which is more than N50,000,000 except it identifies and discloses the source of the contribution to the Commission”, the document stated.

According to the commission, “the election expenses of a Political Party shall be in three parts; for the management of Aspirants and Party Primaries; for management of Candidates and conduct of elections; and, for miscellaneous election expenses.

According to INEC, a Political Party’s election expenses for managing Party Primaries cannot exceed two-thirds of the maximum amounts allowed for candidate expenses under the Electoral Act of 2022 for the relevant elective posts.

Similarly, the election expenses of a Political Party for conduct of elections shall not exceed two-third the limit of election expenses of each Candidate multiplied by the number of Candidates the Political Party shall sponsor in a particular election for elective positions.

Following a huge outcry from the Nigerian citizenry, the All Progressives Congress has reversed course on its recent effort to discourage the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and Results Viewing Portal.

Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s chairman, had raised skepticism about INEC’s ability to conduct a fair election using the BVAS. He said this while speaking to a delegation from the Commonwealth about the general elections of 2023 on Wednesday at the party headquarters in Abuja.

In reaction to the considerable criticism, the party’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, said that the party chairman’s comment was taken out of context.

It was reported Felix stated that ;“A section of the media is awash with comments credited to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the Results Viewing Portal, otherwise known as electronic transmission of election results, for the 2023 general elections.”

“Media reports that chairman Adamu kicked against INEC’s decision to deploy BVAS and electronic transmission of results is patently false, and constitutes an unfair misrepresentation of the national chairman’s comments.”

“At a meeting with the Commonwealth pre-election delegation, yesterday, Wednesday, November 23, 2022, in response to a question regarding the country’s preparations for next year’s election, the national chairman noted that while preparations were in top gear, he tasked INEC to take effective steps to bridge any gaps that may be created by electricity and telecommunications network challenges in certain outlying voting districts in the country in order to ensure a smooth and successful deployment of BVAS and other technologies to ensure free and transparent elections.”

Bello Turji, the notorious bandit commander, is said to have kidnapped five inhabitants of Moriki town in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The victims allegedly delivered a N10.5 million “Protection Levy” that was imposed on their neighborhood and were then detained.

The Moriki settlement, which is situated 33km along the Kaura Namoda-Shinkafi route, was hit with a N20 million “Protection Levy” by Turji a few weeks ago.

The terror mastermind claimed that if the locals could raise and send the money in less than two weeks, they wouldn’t need to worry about attacks and that each farmer in the town could take care of his field without being intimidated.

The largest town after Zurmi, the seat of the regional government, is an emirate called Moriki. The neighborhood has been keeping track of kidnappings and violent raids.

Since the NAF raid on his home at Fakai village in the neighboring Shinkafi local government region in September, residents claim that Turji has intensified attacks on Moriki and other nearby settlements.

“After he imposed the levy we met at the community level to see what we could do to raise the said amount of money bearing in our minds the consequences of ignoring his demand.”

“We came up with an idea that every house hold in the community must pay N6500 and if we add that we would get the N20 million for onward delivery before the deadline ends.

“We were able to raise N10.6 million as some community members defaulted. We used N100,000 to buy them packs of cigarette, loaves of bread, soft drinks and recharge cards as they instructed.

“Seven members of the community were mobilized and dispatched to deliver the money at an agreed spot near Kasayawa, a community located 1km east of Moriki town. After the delivery team arrived at the location, seventeen Turji boys rode to the spot and asked for the money and other items we bought for them.

“However, when Turji’s attention was drawn to the fact that the money brought was N10.5 million not N20 million as agreed he became angry and ordered his boys to hold five out seven members of the delivery team. He asked them to take the residents to one of his camps in Jirari forest straddling Zurmi and Shinkafi local government areas. Even though two of them escaped and arrived home this morning.

“We are now put on edge and we have started making effort to reach out to him that we will deliver the balance of N10 million to him. We are in a serious trouble as a people,” a resident, Sani Moriki, said.

Didi Hamann, a legend of Liverpool, criticized Cristiano Ronaldo for his play in Portugal’s 3-2 World Cup victory over Ghana on Thursday night.

Ronaldo scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot, making history by becoming the first player to score in five different World Cups.

Hamann, though, asserts that Ronaldo is not the same player he once was and notes that he lost the ball during the game.
With Ronaldo on the team, Portugal, in his opinion, appears ordinary.

“I don’t think he is the same player – I don’t know if this is match fitness or because he has not played. If you watch him today, the balls he’s given away, he’s never given away in his career,” Hamann said.

“I think he lost at least a yard, but what he still does, he is probably still the best in the air because the spring he has got is unbelievable.

Hamann continued, “I’m not so sure, They appear unremarkable.” when asked if Ronaldo could still assist Portugal.

“Obviously off set pieces, he can always score because he is good with his head, but whether he gets another club or where he gets another club, I am not too sure.”

The Toyota Hilux was one of the first trucks produced by the company. It launched in the Japanese market in 1968 and soon arrived on American shores just a year later (via Toyota). 
The Hilux was designed to replace older and less comfortable truck models and open up Toyota to a unique niche in the pickup truck space. 

Up to this point, many trucks were designed to be functional work vehicles and lacked some of the trappings of comfort that consumers were looking for in a personal automotive investment. 

Trucks remained a tool for farming, construction, manufacturing, and other labor industry segments. People who drove trucks did so because the vehicle served a specific purpose in their daily life.

Today, this couldn’t be farther from reality. The pickup truck has become immensely comfortable and is a popular option for drivers all across the country (ABC News notes that it is often thought of as a status symbol). Regardless of your profession, hobbies, and lifestyle, a pickup truck from Toyota or any other brand is a great choice that can facilitate your daily commute and other driving needs. 

The Hilux started this trend by making the passenger cabin larger and more comfortable, improving roadworthiness and bracing for a smoother ride, and modernizing the aesthetic of the vehicle.

It’s because of these changes to the truck marketplace that the withdrawal of the Toyota Hilux from North American markets in the ’90s is particularly surprising. Here’s the reason why you’d be hard-pressed to find a Toyota Hilux on American roads.

While the Hilux isn’t necessarily banned in the United States, the vehicle was essentially replaced by the Toyota Tacoma in 1995 (via CoverKing). The Tacoma took over where the Hilux had left off. The truck provides a significant tool capacity and storage bed behind the cabin, and a large passenger area to accommodate the driver and multiple other travelers.

Retail News Asia reports that the Hilux is no longer sold in Vietnam as a result of a lack of Euro 5 diesel, and this somewhat mirrors the decision to pull the truck from the North American market more than 20 years ago due to emissions and safety standards concerns (per Hot Cars).

This model is still built and shipped all around the world, but because no Toyota Hilux trucks are built in the United States, another important feature plays a role: Importing one would cost the buyer an additional 25% as a result of an imposed tariff known as the chicken tax (via Investopedia). 

This makes the Hilux an expensive vehicle to own for an American driver, and with the Toyota Tacoma providing what amounts to the same kind of experience, there really is no benefit to purchasing and importing this vehicle unless there is a substantial sentimental attachment to the particular car.

Toyota remains an important car manufacturer for the American market, and the Toyota Tacoma is a best-selling pickup that provides a comfortable driving experience, meets excellent safety standards, and can haul significant loads either with a tow package or in the truck bed.

Toyota is a Japanese automotive giant, and in the modern world, it has become this behemoth primarily as a result of a unique innovation in the manufacturing process. Kiichiro Toyoda, the company’s founder’s son, had traveled to the United States and England to learn about efficient manufacturing (via Automotive Hall of Fame). 

The system they developed is known today as lean manufacturing and has been implemented by product teams across industries and the world, according to RCBI at Marshall University. Lean manufacturing aims to reduce or eliminate waste in all aspects of the manufacturing process for any particular product.

This commitment to waste reduction made Toyota an industry leader in the production of new vehicles for the global marketplace. Today, Toyota is a much-loved truck and car brand in the United States and beyond. The Hilux may have disappeared from North America in 1995, but this hasn’t been the only change to take place in recent years with Toyota automobiles.

More recently, Toyota has unveiled plans to ramp up electric vehicle production and will invest around $70 billion in companywide changes to improve and expand Toyota brand EVs over the coming years (via CNBC).

While the Toyota Hilux might be difficult to find in the United States, other cars are near impossible to get — even if you can afford to import them. The Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act (IVSCA) has seen many iconic vehicles including the Land Rover Defender, Mini Cooper, and Nissan Skyline GTR banned from the country. 

The act essentially banned the import of all vehicles that weren’t available for sale in the United States. While vehicles could still technically be brought into the country, they could not legally be registered or driven on public roads. 

The act is still in place, but many of the classics it once banned are available because of a certain clause in the legislation. Vehicles over 25 years old are considered classics and can be imported without falling foul of IVSCA. 

There is another loophole that could be used to get newer vehicles that have been banned. If the car is imported as a “show and display” vehicle, it can be driven on public roads. 

However, you have to get clearance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration first, and even if you manage that you won’t be allowed to do more than 2,500 miles per year in your new pride and joy. 

There have been strong calls to abolish the IVSCA, with critics pointing out how it is legal to import something like a classic mini, but illegal to import some newer, far safer models. 

There was also a push to make vehicles older than 15 years available for import, instead of the current 25. All attempts have so far failed, and the U.S. remains a difficult place to get hold of some classics.

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Angel Smith has made a rather controversial statement online.

The BBNaija star explained why she cannot have just one boyfriend.

She claimed that sometimes she moves to have just one boyfriend but then she thinks about the single men out there who have no one and then feels sad for them.

She insinuated that when this happens, she realizes she cannot remain with one man so she can cheer up the sad and lonely men.

Sometimes I want to have only one boyfriend and then I think about all the single men that are lonely and I feel sad for them 😔👍🏿
— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹 𝗝𝗯𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵 (@theangeljbsmith) November 22, 2022As expected, her tweet has caused a lot of stir on social media as followers share their varying opinions.

American rapper, Kanye West, has stated that he asked the former president of the United States, Donald Trump, to be his running mate in the 2024 US presidential election.

West, formally known as Ye, had recently announced his presidential bid in 2024 following an unsuccessful bid in 2020.
On his Twitter page on Wednesday, the 45-year-old rapper revealed that he visited Trump at the latter’s Florida private club, Mar-a-Lago.

West stated that he kept Trump waiting, as he further hinted at the subject of their discussion.

Running a Twitter pill, West asked his fans to guess Trump’s response when he asked the latter to become his running mate come 2024.

The rapper tweeted, “First time at Mar-a-Lago. Rain and traffic.
“I can’t believe I kept President Trump waiting and I had on jeans. Yikes!

“What do you guys think his response was when I asked him to be my running mate in 2024?”
A week after Trump also announced his presidential bid for 2024.

Trump had officially launched a campaign for his 2024 bid, filing papers with the Federal Election Commission in which he declared himself a candidate for the presidency and established a new campaign committee.