UI auditor became blind while working on our accounts, says bursar

Michael Alatise (pictured), bursar of the University of Ibadan, says the auditor hired to work on the university’s accounts became blind while working on them in 2008.

 According to The Nation, Alatise said this when he appeared before the house of representatives committee on public accounts on Thursday.

He said the external auditor, whom he did not disclose his name, died in the process, thereby delaying completion of  the work.

But the committee, led by Oluwole Oke, was angered to hear the bursar’s claim, and ordered full investigation into the university’s financial status.

Oke, said: “That somebody went blind does not mean that the firm will go into extinction. It can’t,” Oke was quoted as saying.

He further said it is unacceptable that UI does not have an account with the auditor-general of the federation “from 2014 till date.”

“No! You won’t get money in the next budgetary allocation,” the lawmaker added.

Responding, Alatise said while the auditor’s blindness delayed the examination of the accounts, a new auditor employed has not been able to do the work because of some challenges.

“We had a new auditor; it was the new external auditor that was having problems,” he said.

“He had to go to his (old auditor’s) house several times because there were some static figures that needed to be cleared.”

- Thecable

Pastor Adeboye releases fresh prophecies, warns of more disasters in 2020

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye on Friday, said God has told him there will be more disasters in 2020.

The respected cleric, released his prophecies for the year, during the church’s Crossover Service, in which he said there would be fire outbreaks.

In January alone, there were no fewer than 20 major fire outbreaks in different parts of Nigeria.

Speaking at the February edition of the Holy Ghost Service, Adeboye said: “At the beginning of this year, you heard me say that the Lord said that on the international scene, there would be fire outbreaks, floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, that what we saw in the past was child’s play. If you follow the news all over the world, you can see what is already happening.

“I told you at that time that Nigeria is part of the international scene; we are part of the world. If you look at what happened in January, just one month, the number of fire outbreaks, houses burnt, market burnt, government houses burnt, fire outbreaks near this airport and that airport.

“If the Lord says we haven’t seen anything yet, then we need to pray.”

Adeboye, 77, also said Nigeria needs prayer to avert the disasters, as the country does not have the capacity for crisis management.

He added: “I’m going to ask you to join me in praying that this aspect of the prophecy is cancelled. Father, have mercy on Nigeria. No fire outbreaks, Lord. No storm, please Daddy. Have mercy oh Lord. Have mercy on us.”

- DAILY POST

Nollywood is dark, spiritual, deep – Actress Iyabo Ojo laments

Popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo has alleged that spiritual and dark things happen in Nollywood.

The 42-year-old actress who revealed this in a post on her Instagram page said that what goes on in the movie industry is much more “deep, dark and spiritual” than what Nigerians think.

Iyabo Ojo said this while debunking rumors that she was in a fight with one of the Nollywood actresses because of a married man.

However, the mother of two explained that she would never have a quarrel with anyone because of a man.

She added that strange things have been happening in Nollywood since the days of late Pa Hubert Ogunde and will never change.

Iyabo on her Instagram page wrote: “Alice Iyabo Ojo, the last thing I will ever do is to fight any woman because of any married or single man. God forbid.

“Worst scenario that will happen I will just ignore you no.

She added that no one can ever be prepared for what goes on in the industry.

“What goes on in Nollywood is beyond all that gist you write on the media, it is beyond what you can ever comprehend. O deep gan, o dark gan, o spiritual gan ni ooo, o dey tun loud gan ni” she exclaimed in Yoruba language.

“It has been in the days of Pa Ogunde and it will remain forever,” Iyabo added.

- DAILY POST

UK : Poverty skyrockets with children and pensioners worst hit

Poverty has increased for children and pensioners over the last five years, a new study suggests.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said that, despite rising levels of employment, in-work poverty has also gone up because often people's pay, hours, or both, are not enough.

Just over half of people in poverty are in a working family, compared to 39% twenty years ago, according to the research.

JRF said 14 million people were living in poverty, including four million children and two million pensioners, up by 400,000 and 300,000 respectively over the past five years.

The highest poverty rates were in London, the North of England, the Midlands and Wales, and lowest were in the South, Scotland and Northern Ireland, said the report.

The differences in poverty rates were often driven by the availability of good quality jobs and housing costs, said JRF.

The report said people were more likely to be in poverty if they lived in certain parts of the UK, in a family where there is a disabled person or a carer, if they work in the hospitali

JRF called on the Government to improve job security and quality, see the benefits system as an essential public service that loosens the grip of poverty, and help make more low-cost housing available.

Executive director Claire Ainsley said: "The new Government has an historic opportunity as we enter the 2020s.

"Past successes in recent decades show that it is possible for the UK to loosen the grip of poverty among those most at risk, but this progress has begun to unravel and it will take sustained effort across the country and throughout the governments of the UK to unlock poverty.

"Millions of families care for each other, raise their children and work hard without any guarantee that they will escape poverty, governments, employers and landlords all have a role to play in changing this.

"It's not right that so many are unable to build a firm foundation to their lives because their jobs are insecure or they can't find a home they can afford.

ty or retail sector, or if they live in rented housing.

"Without a better deal for working families, and a social security system that provides a public service for all of us, the UK faces further division and deeper poverty.

"That better deal needs to encompass the basics we all need, from building new homes to funding social security and bringing better jobs to all parts of the country."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The Government must crack down on business models based on poverty pay and insecure jobs.

"Zero hours contracts should be banned and the minimum wage must go up to at least £10 an hour right away."

JRF said the poverty indicator it used is when a family has an income of less than 60% of median income for their family type, after housing costs.

James Taylor, of disability equality charity Scope, said: "These findings are shocking, but sadly will not be surprising to disabled people.

"Many disabled people find it incredibly difficult to make ends meet.

"Life costs much more for disabled people, on average £583 a month. At the same time, huge numbers of disabled people are denied the opportunity to get into and stay in work."

The Trussell Trust's chief executive Emma Revie said: "The findings from JRF's report today could not be clearer - for too many people it's becoming harder and harder to keep their heads above water.

"At food banks, we're seeing issues with our benefits system, like the five-week wait for Universal Credit and payments not covering the cost of living, pushing more people than ever before to food banks."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "Tackling poverty will always be a priority for this Government.

"We know that getting into work is the best route out of poverty and there are more people in work than ever before. Wages are outstripping inflation and absolute poverty is lower than in 2010.

"We know that some need more help, which is why we spend over £95 billion a year on working-age benefits. Millions will see their benefit payments rise further from April and we're also boosting the incomes of pensioners each year through the triple lock."

- UK MIRROR

Kobe Bryant's Helicopter Did Not Suffer Engine Failure Before Fatal Crash That Killed 9: NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board said it found no evidence that the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others experienced engine failure before it crashed on Jan. 26.

In a preliminary report published on Friday, the NTSB said damage to the aircraft and to the surrounding area indicated the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter did not undergo engine failure before it slammed into a hillside in Calabasas, California, killing Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, as well as seven other members of a close-knit community: John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, and pilot Ara Zobayan.

Investigators retrieved “all significant components” of the helicopter within the wreckage area and an analysis of the aircraft’s main and tail rotor assemblies showed they were in “poweredThe NTSB also recovered a tree branch about 30 feet from the crash. It was cut cleanly in three locations, another sign that the rotors were revolving at full power, investigators said. rotation” at the time of impact.

The helicopter also did not have a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder — features it was not required to have for operation. Investigators recovered a “number of personal electronic devices” from the wreckage and plan to examine them for any relevant data.

“Our investigators have already developed a substantial amount of evidence about the circumstances of this tragic crash,” NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt said in the report.

“And we are confident that we will be able to determine its cause as well as any factors that contributed to it so we can make safety recommendations to prevent accidents like this from occurring again,” he added.

Island Express Helicopters, the company that owned the helicopter, temporarily suspended its operations in the wake of the tragic incident. Zobayan had worked for the company for 10 years, the reported stated.

The NTSB said Zobayan had 8,200 hours of flight experience and logged about 1,250 hours in the S76 helicopter.

The report did not mention if heavy fog the morning of the crash played any part in the tragedy.

A full report into the crash isn’t expected for at least a year, the NTSB announced.

The helicopter was on its way to a youth basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks at the time of the crash.

The former NBA star previously shared he began using helicopters while he still played for the Los Angeles Lakers as a way to spend more time with his family.

“I was sitting in traffic and I wound up missing like a school play,” he told Alex Rodriguez in a 2018 interview. “I had to figure out a way where I could still train and focus on the craft but still not compromise family time.”

“So that’s when I looked into helicopters, to be able to get down and back in 15 minutes and that’s when it started,” he added at the time.

Bryant, 41, is survived by wife, Vanessa Bryant, 37, and their daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, who was born in June 2019.

- PEOPLE

Trump's travel ban on Nigeria hits booming tech ecosystem

As part of new visa restrictions by the Trump administration, the US will no longer issue immigrant visas to Nigerian applicants.

While Nigeria is not the only country affected by the “ban” (Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar will also face similar restrictions while Tanzania and Sudan have been excluded from the United States’ popular visa lottery scheme), it is, by far, the most high profile country affected by what the Trump administration describes as a penalty for unsatisfactory security and information sharing standards.

While focused only on immigrant visas, the net impact of the newly issued restrictions is far-reaching, from splitting families to hobbling employment opportunities. But there is also the general sentiment that there will likely be increased scrutiny on non-immigrant visa applications by Nigerians—as anecdotal data already suggests.

And this presents a unique problem for Nigeria’s fledgling tech ecosystem, industry insiders say.

 “More than anything, it’s the kind of thing that sends the wrong signal to people that are interested in Nigeria.” “More than anything else, it’s the kind of thing that sends the wrong signal to people that are interested in Nigeria,” says Seni Sulyman, vice president of global operations at Andela, the developer outsourcing firm which has raised around $180 million in funding mostly from US investors. Visa restrictions and the negative connotations they often imply “creates extra skepticism among people that might be interested but are not already involved,” Sulyman says.

The visa restrictions come at a time when Nigeria’s tech ecosystem has grown into being the continent’s most dominant. Over the past decade, global tech companies including Google and Facebook have looked to deepen their roots in Africa’s largest internet market. Nigeria is also increasingly bagging more startup funding—most of which has so far come from US-based venture funds—than any other African country. With the growing number of startup success stories over the past decade, renowned accelerator programs like Silicon Valley’s Y Combinator have also become a lot more recipient of applications from Nigeria.

But increased scrutiny on non-immigrant visa applications could inadvertently impact progress on these fronts. “We were just starting to find our stride in terms of foreign venture capital funding and inclusion in all of these opportunities like accelerators and speaking engagements,” says Odunayo Eweniyi, co-founder of PiggyBank and speaker at the World Bank fall meetings in Washington D.C. late last year. “I think it will certainly make it harder to take advantage of opportunities in the US. There’s a lot of good being done here that needs outside attention and amplification, I’m worried about what this means for that,” she tells Quartz.

Those fears are supported by recent data too. Last year, Nigeria recorded the largest global drop-off in visitors to the US.

In fact, the string of visa clampdown measures imposed on Africa’s largest economy last year have already impacting tech industry personnel, says Iyin Aboyeji, co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave, a Nigerian fintech giant. “We’re already seeing the impact with increased vetting and longer wait times.” Aboyeji says a number of tech industry stalwarts had to “intervene” with recommendations for visa applications for a recent batch of Nigerian startups accepted to Y Combinator’s program.

Silver lining

As the visa restrictions pretty much eliminate the chances Nigerians have of receiving green cards, there is a particular demographic that might particularly feel stuck in limbo: US-based Nigerian holders of H-1B visas. “Nigerian talent in the US has grown tremendously but with this they may need to start thinking of coming home in the next one or two years,” says Aboyeji who has been working on projects in and around Silicon Valley in recent years.

With Nigerians being the most educated immigrants in the US, there’s been a swelling of talent in business and professional circles, including some of the world’s biggest companies. It follows a long history of the US as a popular destination for Nigerians seeking tertiary education (economic spending of Nigerian students in the US last year reached $514 million) with the aim of getting employed in the US and, possibly, resettling there after obtaining green cards. “That path no longer exists but, for me, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing,” says Aboyeji.

One possibility could see an increase in returnees to Nigeria and possibly working remotely for US employers but there’s a more intriguing prospect for Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. “Some of these people can also decide to come and work for high growth African companies,” Aboyeji says. “That could be critical for the ecosystem going forward.”

For its part, the Nigerian government has set up a committee to ensure that US security and information sharing standards are met in a bid to get the restrictions lifted. But ultimately, it’s a reaction that reflects the government’s inability to meet those standards and lobby ahead of the ban, like Belarus did. It also suggests a lack of diplomatic chops perhaps unsurprisingly given Nigeria’s ambassador to the US—one of its most important Western allies—is an 84-year old former judge with no diplomatic experience.

Nigeria can look to neighboring Ghana for some hope though: after initially being slapped with visa restrictions for failing to accept its deportees from the US, Ghana had the restrictions lifted two weeks ago.

- QUARTZ

UK Doctor jailed for 90 sex offences against female patients

A GP has been jailed for at least 15 years after being convicted of 90 sex offences against 24 former female patients.

Manish Shah, 50, was branded a "master of deception" as he was handed three life sentences at the Old Bailey.

The doctor used the cases of Angelina Jolie and Jade Goody to persuade patients aged between 15 and 39 to undergo unnecessary intimate examinations for his own sexual gratification, the Old Bailey heard.

Shah, of Romford, east London, claimed he had been practising "defensive medicine".​

However judge Anne Molyneux QC said that his behaviour was driven by his “desire to control and on occasions humiliate women”.

Quoting one of his victims, the judge said: “You made up stories which got into heads and caused panic”.

Judge Molyneux added: “You were a master of deception and you abused your position of power. This was a horrible abuse of trust and caused incalculable harm.

“The details show a pattern of behaviour over five years.

“Your behaviour was not only sexual but was driven by your desire to control and on occasions humiliate women.”

Fifteen of Shah’s victims sat in court on Friday as the GP was sentenced.

Last autumn he was found guilty of 25 sexual offences against the six victims at Mawney Medical Centre between 2009 and 2013.

At an earlier trial in 2018, he was convicted of offences relating to 18 other women, bringing the total number of offences to 90 relating to 24 women.

- UK INDENDPENT 

Woman in court for refusing to refund N600,000 borrowed from Church

The police in Ogun State have arraigned one Mrs. Funmilayo Ayodele before an Ogun Magistrates’s court sitting in Abeokuta.

The 40-year-old Ayodele was dragged before the court Friday for allegedly refusing to pay back a N600,000 loan she borrowed from a Cherubim and Seraphim church cooperative society at Lantoro Abeokuta.

The police said Ayodele was docked on a three-count charge bordering on theft, fraud and breach of public peace.

But the woman has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to the Prosecution Counsel, Inspector Olu-Balogun Lawrence, the defendant allegedly borrowed the money in February 2019 from one Pastor Micheal Oguntade, promising to pay back in August same year after starting a business.

However, the prosecution counsel said Ayodele, instead of refunding the money, resorted to threatening the pastor with thugs in his house; the reason why she was reported to the police.

She has since been granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The Magistrate, Olakunleyin Oke, said the sureties must be persons living within the court jurisdiction with evidence of tax payments to the Ogun Government.

The case has been adjourned until Feb. 21 for trial.

- DAILY POST

Lagos Director in court for damaging N45m property of LASEMA boss, her ex-lover

An Igbosere High Court will on April 1st to deliver judgment in a case of forgery, forcible entry and criminal damage to a N45 million property against one Ms. Olaide Ibraheem.

Ibraheem is the Director, Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement in the Lagos State Government Civil Service.

NAN reports that the criminal action followed a dispute between Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyitolu, Director-General of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and his former lover, Ibraheem.

She was arraigned on May 22, 2017, on a three-count charge of forgery, forcible entry and criminal damage to the property located at No. 1, Baba Yusuf Close, Alausa, Lagos.

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye fixed the judgment date after both the lead state prosecutor, Akin George and defence counsel, Gbenga Ojo, addressed the court after closing their cases.

Ojo, in his submission, said that the prosecution did not prove its case against Ibraheem beyond reasonable doubt because vital witnesses were not summoned to testify in court.

He noted that the prosecution did not summon the individual who prepared the deed that was allegedly forged by the defendant.

Responding, the prosecutor said “the law provides that the prosecution is not bound to call all witnesses listed, provided the prosecution has called credible witnesses that will sustain their case.”

George said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the court should not attach any credibility to the forensic report tendered in evidence by the defence

According to him, rather than summoning the individual who prepared the alleged forged Deed for the defendant, a forensic police report confirming the alleged forgery, which was tendered in court by the prosecution, was sufficient evidence.

NAN reports that during the trial, four witnesses including Oke-Osanyitolu, his personal assistant and a signature expert, testified for the prosecution.

Six witnesses including Ibraheem, a surveyor and a police officer testified on behalf of the defence.

Oke-Osanyitolu in his testimony told the court that he and the defendant were former lovers and top civil servants in the employ of the Lagos State Government.

He said that during the course of their relationship, he needed accommodation for his ailing mother and had sought Ibraheem’s help in getting accommodation.

Oke-Sanyitolu said the defendant negotiated the purchase of the property on his behalf for N45million from the former owner, one Baba Yusuf in Kano.

The LASEMA DG told the court that he had made payments in installments for the property via Mr Luqman Salami, his personal assistant, paid the balance of N1.5million and the Deed of Assignment was signed.

“Five people including the defendant, were present when the Deed was signed but only four persons — myself, the owner of the property, Baba Yusuf; his son, Musa Yusuf and Salami, my personal assistant signed the document.”

Oke-Sanyitolu said that following the breakdown of their relationship, the defendant in order to unlawfully lay claim to the property, fraudulently made another Deed of Assignment and forged his signature on the fake document.

He said that Ibraheem, with the aid of hoodlums, also unlawfully broke into and took over possession of the property.

The LASEMA DG said that when he reported his ex-lover’s actions to the authorities, she threatened his life and boasted that she will show him “the power of a woman”.

Ibraheem, while testifying in her defence, said the property belonged to her.

She said when she wanted to buy the property, she visited the Baba Musa, the former owner of the property in Kano.

According to her, the original owner declined to sell to her due to religious reasons, and asked her to come with her spouse.

She said obliging the requests of Baba Musa, Oke-Sanyitolu had accompanied her to buy the property.

The defendant in her version of events said that four persons — herself, the owner of the property, his son and Oke-Sanyitolu signed the Deed of Assignment while Salami, Oke-Sanyitolu’s personal assistant was a witness.

She said after the end of their relationship, she got wind of the fact that Oke-Sanyitolu had procured another Deed of Assignment for the property.

The defendant said that the new Deed did not contain her signature and that Oke-Sanyitolu was trying to register the new Deed at the Lagos State Ministry of Lands.

- DAILY POST