N117 billion debt: I leave Fayose to God, says Fayemi

The Transition Committee set up by Ekiti State governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has revealed the state’s debt profile has ballooned to N117 billion under the administration of outgoing

Governor Ayo Fayose.

The panel said the latest debt figure, which was sourced from the Debt Management Office (DMO), was outside salary, pension and gratuity arrears, compensation to majority of owners of houses demolished for Ado-Ekiti flyover and debt owed contractors, among others.

According to DMO, the total debt left by Fayemi in 2014 was N18 billion, which was disputed by Fayose who claimed his predecessor left N85 billion debt.

The revelation came to light at the weekend when the committee chaired by a former federal lawmaker, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, submitted its report to the governor elect at the Conference Hall of AB Hotel, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The ceremony was witnessed by the deputy governor-elect, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi; wife of the governor-elect, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi; All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the House of Assembly, party leaders and members.

Adetunmbi revealed the outgoing Fayose-led administration did not set up a committee of its own to interact with it and did not release any document to facilitate its assignment.

He said: “The sub-committees of this Transition Committee met with 76 interest groups including labour unions, interest groups, civil society bodies, development partners who assisted with information of what is going on in the outgoing administration.

“The report being submitted today represents the voice of the people that voted you (Fayemi) in and it contains what they want in the short term, medium term and in the long term.

“As at the last time the DMO released official debt figures, Ekiti owes N117 billion.”

Responding, Fayemi said while he leaves the outgoing government to God, he is focused on making a difference in the life of the people of Ekiti State despite the challenges ahead.

He also urged the incoming House of Assembly to consider and enact a Transition Act that will stipulate the duties of an outgoing

administration and an incoming administration to pave the way for seamless transfer of power.

Such law, according to him, is in operation in African countries like Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and other advanced democracies in other parts of the world.

Fayemi said: “The chairman (Adetunmbi) talks about liabilities, that is what government is all about, assets and liabilities, government is a continuum.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that there will be debts but we are focused on our agenda to make a difference in the lives of our people.

“So for us, we leave whatever that is done by the outgoing government to God and God will handle that in the best way possible.

“We want to focus on making the difference in the life of our people, so our people remain our priority.

“We hope some reasons will prevail between now and inauguration day for the outgoing government to come up with the information this committee has been asking for since it was inaugurated.”

Fayemi disclosed that he spoke with some development partners and investors willing to work with his government during a recent trip to China who demanded the report of the committee. - The Nation

‘I will beat you up’ — Bovi, IGoDye lock horns over Uduaghan’s senate bid

Comedians, Bovi Ugomma and Francis ‘IGoDye’ Agoda, are in the middle of a war of words over the bid of Emmanuel Uduaghan to contest for the senate in 2019.

The former Delta governor recently moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

IGoDye had questioned the ex-governor’s ambition, saying he has not done enough to merit another shot at public office.

He said: “After enjoying the executive position for (8) eight years, with allocation of 62.2bn a year × 8 years, over Five trillion nine hundred and seventy one billion two hundred million (5,971,200,000,000 ) within that period, nothing can be ascribed to you in terms of infrastructural and human capital development. This is enough reason why he shouldn’t seek any other elective position in Delta State.”

Bovi commented on the post by criticising IGoDye, accusing him of not speaking up when Uduaghan was a serving governor.

He described his colleagues’ sentiments as “self-serving”.

In response, IGoDye said Bovi had been paid to defend the politician, referring to him as a “baby lawyer”.

He asked: “How much have you being paid to sell your hard YOUR hard earned reputation, as a beautiful Nigeria youth, that grew to become AKPO’S, now Bovi, only to be commissioned as a Baby lawyer by your favourite Governor Uduaghan? Someone whose children are graduating today in London while Delta State University is still in decay.”

Following IGoDye’s post, Bovi on Saturday took to Instagram to hit back and threaten to beat him up.

“Unlike you, I do not dabble in politics. It’s not my turf. My take on politics comes up mostly on stage,” he wrote.

“I’m friends with many governors and politicians simply because they love my work. The present Governor of Delta state was at my mothers funeral as our family’s guest. Unlike you, I have not gone to burden him with self-serving proposals. Please note that I didn’t bother his predecessor too.

“That’s always been your game. I was simply calling you out the way you called the governor out. Now look how you’re rattled and running all over the place! Francis, your legacy in the comedy industry cannot be questioned but your shallow intellect has never been up for debate.

“If you thought your actions through, you will know that after your multiple visits to the ex-governor, cap in hand, including the one you showcased only a portion of the video on the 30th of April this year, you have no moral standing to speak scathingly and publicly.

“PS- if you ever mention my children again, I will physically beat you up.”

The comedian has since deleted the Instagram post where he threatened to beat up IGoDye, but not before a screenshot was obtained. - TheCableStyle

Three soldiers shot dead as farmers, herders clash in Plateau

At least three operatives of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a military task force in Plateau state, were killed while trying to restore calm between herders and farmers in the state on Saturday.

Augustine Agundu, commander of the force, disclosed this to reporters in Jos, the state capital.
He vowed that those behind the tragic incident would be brought to book.
“I have lost three men, they were killed in action as a result of this circle of violence that has resurfaced,” he said.
“The worst of it is that the proliferation of arms in Plateau is out of magnitude.

“I have locked down Barkin-ladi, this act will never repeat itself. We have made efforts to reconcile the warring factions but they have remained adamant.
My troops have resolved to end the on going hostilities in Ryiom, Barkin-Ladi and Bassa LGA’s.

“The message I am sending to all level of leadership is to get their youths to decorum and civility so that the ordinary man and woman in the community could live peacefully. We are determined to return Plateau to its slogan of Home of Peace and Tourism.”
The development comes less than 24 hours after Solomon Dalung, minister of sport, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency on Plateau and other states affected by widespread killings.

Efforts of government to put the killings in check have not yielded the desired result. - TheCable

Meet the Worshipers Who Believe They’re Aliens in Human Form

An hour outside Brazil’s futuristic capital, Brasilia, lies one of the country’s spiritual capitals: Vale do Amanhecer, which translates to Sunrise Valley or Valley of the Dawn.

At first sight, Sunrise Valley looks like a miniature theme park—where visitors can see copies of the world's wonders without having to travel to the actual sites. Built in Planaltina, a satellite city of Brasilia, the lakeside temple complex features a pyramid, a spaceship-like temple, a six-pointed praying center, and several ellipse-shaped sculptures.

While the valley’s physical setting can feel disorienting, it is not accidental. Meticulously designed, it is reflective of the religion’s intricate, all-comprising doctrines and beliefs—drawn from a diversity of religions and civilizations, including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, the Inca, and ancient Egypt.

According to Sunrise Valley followers, extraterrestrial beings landed on Earth 32,000 years ago to advance human civilizations. The beings then returned to Earth through successive incarnations across various cultures and eras. Valley members, known as mediums, believe themselves to be the beings’ latest incarnation, the Jaguars.

Sunrise Valley was established by Neiva Chaves Zelaya, known as Aunt Neiva, in 1959. A widow with four children, she was working as a truck driver in Brasilia, then under construction to replace Rio de Janeiro as Brazil’s capital. There, she said, she began to experience psychic episodes, which she later believed to be visits by spirits from the extraterrestrial world.

Neiva said she was primarily guided by Pai Seta Branca, or “Father White Arrow,” a spirit emissary who is depicted in statues and drawings today as a native South American leader.

Brazilian photographer Gui Christ was drawn to Sunrise Valley because of its fantastical origin story and the mediums’ colorful, lavish garbs. He documented an array of rituals, some of them involving long hours of chanting while encircling the lake.

Two mediums usually work in pairs during the rituals. An apara, or reception medium, has the job of physically incorporating a spirit, be it benign or troubled, and an indoctrinator medium takes on the task of teaching the spirit and helping repel it back to the spiritual world. Followers believe the rituals also help mediums atone the karmic debts from their past lives.

A believer of Umbanda, a spiritual Afro-Brazilian religion, Christ felt struck by an indescribable energy while photographing the rituals. “I have seen many religions in Africa, Asia, and in Brazil but this is the first time I feel I was connected to something,” he says. “I need[ed] to get out of the temple because I was feeling dizzy.”

A believer of Umbanda, a spiritual Afro-Brazilian religion, Christ felt struck by an indescribable energy while photographing the rituals. “I have seen many religions in Africa, Asia, and in Brazil but this is the first time I feel I was connected to something,” he says. “I need[ed] to get out of the temple because I was feeling dizzy.”

Still, mainstream society and religious communities in Brazil often shun Sunrise Valley, categorizing them and other spiritualist groups as cults. Tension is especially rife between Valley members and the evangelicals who have built churches near the community, targeting members for conversion. “[The evangelicals] believe Valley members are under the influence of the devils,” Hayes says.

Instead of dismissing the Valley as an innocuous cult, people should consider it in the context of its foundation, Hayes says. Established in the 1950s, the religion was popular among poor farmers and migrants who came to help build Brasilia. “Brasilia, at that time, signified Brazil leaping into the modern world and becoming a modern nation,” Hayes says. But the hyper-organized concrete city turned out to be an inhospitable dystopia, plagued by overcrowding and crime.

The spiritual healing the Valley offers is therapeutic for some of Brasilia's discontent souls. “A lot of it is about re-narrating your life,” Hayes explains. "Those narratives give lots of people a sense that they have some control over their lives ... that justice and equality are possible through your work.” - National Geographic

Met Police officer stole blank cheques from dead man and paid himself thousands

A police officer who wrote himself cheques from a dead man and stole cash seized from criminals has been jailed.

Before being suspended from the Metropolitan Police, PC Robert Ward also took almost 80 days off work by falsely claiming that his child was critically ill.

In January, the 36-year-old was among officers who found a man dead in his home after being called over concerns for his welfare.

“PC Ward stole two blank cheques from the property, wrote them out for £4,000 made payable to himself, and attempted to cash them in January and February 2017,” a spokesperson for Scotland Yard said, adding that one bounced.

Police had already started investigating Ward over the theft of £8,150 in cash from Edmonton Police Station in May 2017, seeing him arrested in October and suspended from duty.

Scotland Yard’s Directorate of Professional Standards then uncovered more thefts of cash that had been seized from criminals taken into custody from September 2016 onwards, bringing the total amount taken to £9,625.

Further enquiries led to the exposure of Ward’s other crimes and showed claims over his child’s health used to take 76 days of compassionate leave, carer's leave and emergency annual leave to be false.

The disgraced officer admitted multiple counts of theft and fraud by false representation for crimes dating back to 2015 and was jailed for two years at Southwark Crown Court.

A judge also ordered Ward, of Waltham Abbey in north-east London, to pay £4,000 compensation to the estate of Peter Jones and a further £2,000 to the Metropolitan Police.

Commander Catherine Roper, of the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “The conduct of this officer fell well below the high standard of integrity and professionalism both the public and the Metropolitan Police Service expects. Cases like this, although extremely rare, undermine public trust and confidence in policing.

“The Directorate of Professional Standards carried out a thorough investigation following the initial allegation of theft from police stores, and in doing so uncovered further offences for which he was later charged and brought before the court.

”He will now be subject to misconduct proceedings.” - Independent

Transfer news : Courtois "sad" over Chelsea fans anger after Real Madrid move

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is “sad” that some Chelsea fans are angry with him after he secured a move this Summer to Real Madrid.

Courtois ended his seven year spell at the Blues this Summer, moving back to Spain to join giants Real Madrid.

The Belgian goalkeeper’s contract was up at Chelsea at the end of the Season, meaning Madrid were able to secure the stopper on a cut price deal compared to what they would have had to pay last season.

However, the goalkeeper is sad that some Chelsea supporters are angry with him, revealing he made his decision to leave the club back in March.

Speaking after Belgium’s 4-0 win over Scotland, the Belgian said, via Sky Sports:

““It makes me feel sad and obviously they don’t know all the truth.”

““I think in March the decision was already made and I thought the club would accept it.”

 ““Then because the transfer was closed I did not show up because I thought it better not to disturb the team and the squad.”

““If I did go there maybe, I didn’t want to be toxic, so obviously it is a pity because I love Chelsea.”

““I loved playing there and I am happy to have won two Premier Leagues, a league cup and an FA Cup.”

““Hopefully it will turn around.””

The Belgian also revealed that the chance to move closer to his Children was a big factor in his decision to return to Spain.

““I will always look back with a happy feeling to Chelsea, I had a chance to go back to Spain to be closer to my kids. That was an important thing for me.”

““I know that a lot of Chelsea fans will understand my decision. I wish them the best and I am happy to see that they have won their first four games and I hope they can go on and win the league.”” - Read Sport

Let's not boo anymore - Serena Williams

Serena pleaded with the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd to stop booing during the trophy ceremony after a series of furious rows with officials marred her US Open final against Naomi Osaka.

The American, who lost 6-2 6-4 against Osaka in a highly charged final, was initially given a code violation for coaching by chair umpire Carlos Ramos, after Patrick Mouratoglou gestured to her.

An incensed Williams told Ramos "I don't cheat to win, I'd rather lose" but a few games later was given a point penalty for smashing her racket before being given a game penalty for calling the umpire a "thief".

Osaka held her composure throughout the highly charged series of events to win her maiden Grand Slam title but the home crowd were still furious as the presentation began.

"I don't want to be rude. I don't want to do questions," Williams said, as boos drowned out on-court interviewer Tom Rinaldi.

Williams, who tried to calm the crowd down, added: "I just want to tell you guys she [Osaka] played well.

"Let's make this the best moment we can and get through it and give credit where credit is due. Let's not boo anymore. Congratulations Naomi. No more booing."

Williams had shared a warm embrace with Osaka, who called the American her idol in the build-up, at the net at the conclusion of the match before asking for an apology from Ramos.

After being handed a game penalty to fall 5-3 down in the second set Williams immediately called for the tournament referee and supervisor arguing her punishment was not fair and that her male counterparts were guilty of worse offences.

"There are men out here that do a lot worse, but because I'm a woman, because I'm a woman you're going to take this away from me?" she said. "That is not right."

"I don't think I do much worse," she added. "There's a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things but because they are men, that doesn't happen to them."

Mouratoglou admitted in an interview to Pam Shriver on ESPN he had attempted to coach Williams.

"I was coaching but I don't think she looked at me," he said. "Her coach [Sascha Bajin] was coaching the whole time, too. Everyone is doing it 100% of the time.

"It is not a big deal breaking a racquet. She will struggle to get back from this."

The French coach, who has won 10 Grand Slam titles with Williams, then posted on Twitter: "The star of the show has been once again the chair umpire.

"Second time in this US Open and third time for Serena in a US Open Final.

"Should they be allowed have an influence on the result of a match?? When do we decide that this should never happen again?"

When told about this during her press conference, Williams said: "I literally just heard that too. I just texted Patrick because we don't have signals, we've never discussed signals. I want to clarify myself what he's talking about. I wasn't being coached." - Sky SPort

I’ve forgiven those who invaded my house, says Clark

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, said yesterday he has forgiven the security agents who invaded his house over alleged stockpiling of firearms.

He told Senator Shehu Sani who visited him in Abuja yesterday that he decided to forgive them in the interest of peace and the fact that the police had apologised.

“I have forgotten all since the Inspector General has apologised to me through a very powerful delegation; I have forgiven them in the interest of Nigeria,” Clark said.

“If I do not, there are people who are very willing to cause trouble and I do not want that to be done in my name. I have also appealed to my youths, my children at home who gathered at Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, who were very upset to be peaceful.”

Some policemen on September 4, searched Clark’s house for alleged firearms.

Clark added that the incident was aimed at discrediting the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

He said: “Coming to search my house was not a problem, but if it was not properly planned, or with an intention, just to embarrass me and the government then there is a concern.

“Whatever you do, if it fails, it affects the government of President Buhari, if it succeeds perhaps it will go on.”

He said it was unthinkable for him at his age and consistent call for peace, to stockpile arms.

He further said it would be unfair and unreasonable to think that a 91-year old man, who had been fighting for peace in the country and had directed youths to lay down arms, to stockpile arms.

“So today at 91, I should be gathering arms in my house?” he wondered.

The elder statesman said he had written the president, requesting a full investigation into the incident and those behind it, and not to make those that searched his house scapegoats.

Earlier, Sani said he was in the house to express concern over the incidence.

“I am pleased that the police have taken action. I will call on you as a father to accept the apology of the police and also to do everything possible to work and express your opinion so that advantage should not be taken on this issue.

“You are not an elder statesman for a section of the country. You have fought for the peace and unity of this country.

“You are a repository of history of this country; you know what happened yesterday you know what is happening today and we will still need you for the future of this country,” Sani said.

The lawmaker cautioned security agents, who in as much as they needed whistle blowers and informants; to be careful with the information they worked with.

He further warned that false information and whistle blowing could be sources of instability and crisis in the country.

“Intelligence agencies and security agencies must do a background check on people who provide information to them so as not to rubbish their image and that of the government.

“I am of the firm believe that as a father, you will take this as simply an act that was done without the full intention of the person in the position of power in Nigeria.

“But I know very well that the need for probe is important so that we do not simply make scapegoats of very few people while those behind it are somewhere in the dark.

“Your case should be the beginning of an end on the use of false whistle blowers and false informants to intimidate, harass and rubbish the reputation of innocent Nigerians.

“You have paid the price for the peace and unity of this country and that should be appreciated.

“I have no doubt that it was an intention to rubbish the name of Buhari’s government by this act and to set him against the people who respect him,” he said. -The Nation