PDP chieftain, lawmaker hail Buhari for declaring June 12 Democracy Day

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as a new Democracy Day and posthumously awarding Chief MKO Abiola, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).

The President  who announced this on Wednesday in a statement signed personally, said that June 12 would now replace May 29 as the Democracy Day.

Abiola, who was the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, died on July 7, 1998.

Babatope, a former Minister of Transport and member PDP Board of Trustees, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone that the president’s motivation was right.

“Even though one may question the timing, the motivation is right.

“We should commend Buhari for the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and the conferment of GCFR on the late MKO Abiola,” he said.

Also  Mr Wasiu Eshinokun-Sanni, the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said that the truth had prevailed.

Eshinokun-Sanni, who noted that he received the news with a mixed feeling, commended the Lagos State Government to have recognised Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a late human rights lawyer.

“The good part is that effort of Nigerians in forgetting religious and tribal sentiments as exhibited by the June 12 elections is not in vain. June 12 is Democracy Day is also symbolic.

“What Obasanjo (former President) failed to recognise all this while in spite being the greatest beneficiary of June 12, a Nigerian of northern extraction has brought it to the front burner,” he said.

“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as the Democracy Day.

” Therefore, government has decided to award posthumously, the highest honour of the land, GCFR to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 cancelled election.

“His running mate as Vice President Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe is also to be invested with a GCON.

“Furthermore, the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualisation of June 12 elections and indeed for democracy in general, the Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, is to be awarded posthumously a GCON.

“The commemoration and investiture will take place on Tuesday June 12, a date which in future years will replace May 29 as a National Public Holiday in celebration of the Nigerian Democracy.” 

- NAN

My husband planted `magun’ on me – Woman tells court

Rashidat Adesokan, a mother of six, on Wednesday asked a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve her 28- year-old marriage to her husband, Mustafa, for allegedly “lacing her with “magun’’ charm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that magun is believed to be a potent charm among the Yoruba deployed to cause harm or even death to promiscuous couples.

Rashidat, in her petition to the court, said her husband had ruined her life as a result of the charm.

“My lord, ever since we moved to our newly completed building, Mustafa has been a pain on my neck by denying me adequate care and love.

“He makes no provision for the children. I have been solely responsible for the upkeep of the children.

“Worst of all, Mustafa had on four different occasions laced me with magun such that blood has been discharging from my genitals.

“He has exposed me to all sorts of humiliation in the neighbourhood inspite of my plea for forgiveness over alleged adultery.

“He told everyone in the neighbourhood that I am unfaithful and a prostitute.

“Mustafa categorically told me to leave his home or be ready to die in shame.

“He also ejected all the children I had for him, referring to them as products of bad motherhood.

“In fact, Mustafa had previously gone to a certain private radio station in Ibadan where he exposed me to ridicule and embarrassment.

“Even before the children, he is such a worthless soul.

“The person my husband accused me of having an affair with is a neighbour who often paid us visits.

“It is true that I usually offer the neighbour food and he sometimes offers me ride on his motorcycle.

“Mustafa, however, had stopped having sexual intercourse with me before I left his home, claiming I would harm him.

“Unknown to me, the blood discharge I was experiencing was the side effect of the magun which he had placed on me so that any man who sleeps with me will die,” Rashidat said.

However, the respondent who did not deny most of the allegations levelled against him, submitted that his wife was adulterous.

Mustafa said that though he was initially opposed to divorce, he was changing his mind after the plaintiff had insisted on separation.

“If she is not willing to swallow her pride, Rashidat can go.

“My lord, I was initially trying to keep our union because of our six children.

“I had all along demonstrated my care and love for her and the children by constantly going into the bush to fetch firewood for cooking,’’ he said.

Chief Ademola Odunade, the President of the court, ordered the duo to produce their six children in court and adjourned the case till July 18 for judgment. - Daily Post

DFID defends support for low-cost private education in Nigeria

The Department for International Development (DFID) has defended its support for low-cost private education in Nigeria, saying it has helped improve schools in Nigeria through a number of programmes.

This comes following enquiries by The Nation for the donor agency’s response to accusations by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Education International (a worldwide union of teachers and education personnel) that DFID provided £3.45million grant to Bridge International Academies (BIA), a U.S. based company, to start private schools in Nigeria in 2014 rather than support the government to expand public education.

Education International commissioned a research on low-cost private schools earlier this year findings of which revealed that BIA was not accessible to the poorest of the poor and did not employ qualified teachers.  The research also noted that the Lagos State government relaxed regulation of low-cost private school.

In an email response sent by Chris Okeke, Governance Adviser, DFID Nigeria on Tuesday, the agency funded by the UK government to address global challenges, including ending extreme poverty stated that it had supported the Nigerian government, particularly Lagos State government to improve the framework for regulation of schools and gave support to the private sector because of the demand it met in absence of public sector provisions.

The statement reads in part: “The United Kingdom (U.K.) government’s priority is to ensure children in Nigeria get the education they deserve. In the vast majority of cases this means investing in the state sector to improve public education – most of the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) education funding in Nigeria goes to the public sector.

“DFID recognises that whilst the government must be the guarantor of quality basic education for all, it need not be the sole financer nor provider.  Given the sheer scale of non-state provision in Lagos State, we believe it is appropriate to support critical state regulatory and oversight functions, in particular to address equity concerns and address barriers to the poor.”

The agency also stated that most of its funding goes to the public sector, adding that the £3.45million given to BIA was a one-off grant.  It also said BIA’s performance was being reviewed.

“DFID provided a grant of £3.45million to BIA between 2014 and 2016.  This was completed satisfactorily in September 2016 with 23 schools opened. DFID does not provide ongoing financial support to BIA and has no future plans to do so.

“As part of the evaluation of the DEEPEN programme, DFID commissioned an independent study to help DFID understand the quality of education provided by Bridge, relative to alternatives. The final report of the report is due in a couple of months and the outcomes will be shared widely,” the statement reads.

DFID’s support programme for low-cost private education in Nigeria was implemented through the Developing Effective Private Education Nigeria (DEEPEN), which wraps up its intervention in August.

DEEPEN did not give grants or loans to proprietors of low-cost schools since it started in 2013.

Its Team Leader, Dr Gboyega Ilusanya, said in an email response to questions by The Nation that DEEPEN had strengthened quality in low-cost private schools through training and provision of business development services.

He said: “DEEPEN has facilitated access to affordable and good quality trainings for Head teachers and Teachers to improve teaching and learning in in such schools and as a result, the quality of learning outcomes of children that attend these schools. To date, 3, 971 headteachers and 2,400 teachers have accessed these trainings through 15 service providers collaborating with DEEPEN.” - The Nation

Ambode hails Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as new Democracy day

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday hailed the announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari declaring June 12 as the New Democracy Day in honour of the late presumed winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential Election, Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, lauded the President, saying that the development was a historic and symbolic moment in the nation’s political trajectory.

“This is a welcome development. It is a historic moment in our nation and I join other Nigerians to commend President Buhari on this announcement. By this move, he has done what previous administrations failed to do. This not only shows that the President is a man of history and character but also eloquently confirms that the heroes of democracy did not die in vain after all,” Governor Ambode said. - The Nation