Surprising: Buhari shuns presidential pre-inauguration Jumat service, quietly jets out to UK

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari

The president-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari took many by surprise on Friday as he was disappointedly absent at the special Friday service to mark the beginning of a weeklong activities of his inauguration next week.

Journalists who were invited to cover the ceremony had gathered but to the chagrin of everyone, Buhari was not sighted anywhere around the crowded mosque.

No official reason was given for his absence at the mosque.

However, it began to dawn on many that the news report earlier by an online news medium, Shaharareporters that Buhari had jetted out of the country to the United Kingdom, UK, in early hours of Friday morning was actually true, when former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar stepped out of the mosque and announced that he was Buhari’s representative at the special service.

Femi Adesina: This time next week

Perhaps my worst day ever was August 27, 1985, when the military coup that ousted Major General Muhammadu Buhari from power was announced. Major General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, then the Chief of Army Staff, supplanted his boss in office, and held that position for eight years.

Buhari went into the valley of life, and stayed there for many years. Even his marriage and home suffered terribly. But in 1989, he picked up the pieces of marital life again, marrying pretty and winsome Aisha from Adamawa State.

Also in 2003, the man from Daura, in Katsina State, took the gauntlet by running for the county’s number one position, on platform of the then All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). He ran again in 2007, in 2011, and also in 2015. He finally won, and this time next week, he would be inaugurated as President.

This Time Next Week. That is the title of a 1964 book by Leslie Thomas, which I read well over 30 years ago. The book deals with the escapades of some young boys growing up in an orphanage, and what a rib cracking volume it is. I read it over and over again.

Stakeholders, LAMATA endorse Ikorodu BRT extension project implementation

With the successful completion of the of the much publicised N30 billion expansion work on the 13.5 kilometre Mile12 to Ikorodu Road project, stakeholders are expressing relief and optimism as the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is set to roll out 400 buses to service the new route. Adejuwon Osunnuyi writes.

For the residents of Ikorodu town of Lagos state, they seem to have every cause to be delighted. With the successful completion of the much publicised N30 billion expansion work on the 13.5 kilometre Mile12 to Ikorodu Road project, as expected, the nightmare they have been experiencing over the years over persistent traffic snarl seem to be over.

Basking in the euphoria of the successful completion of the road expansion project, at an enlarged stakeholders meeting organised by the promoter of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT ) extension project along the Mile 12-Ikorodu town axis, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), stakeholders mainly from Ikorodu expressed optimism and support for the project.

Children who stay indoors risk Myopia, says Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists have revealed that children who spent more time staying indoors were more likely to develop myopia than their peers who played outdoors.

Myopia or Nearsightedness is the most common refractive error of the eye, and it has become more prevalent in recent years.

According to the experts, myopia was very common and could occur in children between the ages of four and 12 years.

N1.1bn subsidy-fraud: EFCC re-arraigns 3 oil marketers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday re-arraigned three oil marketers--- Opeyemi Ajuyah, Abdullahi Alao and Olarenwaju Olalusi-- over an alleged N1.1 billion fuel-subsidy fraud.

The defendants were charged before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court.

They were re-arraigned on an amended eight-count charge alongside their companies--- Majope Investment Ltd., and Axenergy Ltd.

Boko Haram: Reject abortion option for 214 rescued pregnant women, group urges FG

The Director-General, Project for Human Development (PHD), Mr Jerry Okwuosa, on Friday urged the Federal Government to declare the plight of rescued pregnant women a national emergency.

Okwuosa, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said the government should also reject the proposed abortion option.

The PHD director-general was reacting to the abortion option by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Ireland votes on legalising gay marriage

Ireland could be the first country to legalise same-sex marriage as polling stations across Ireland have opened for the referendum, the first time a nationwide vote has been held on the issue.

A report said on Friday in Dublin that people are to vote Yes or No to an amendment to the constitution which states, “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”

It said polling stations opened at 7am and are scheduled to remain open until 10pm.

Fuel scarcity: Senate summons Okonjo-Iweala, Allison-Madueke, NNPC

The Joint Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream) has ordered the Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her counterpart in the Petroleum Resources Ministry, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke, to appear before it on Monday next week over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Also summoned along with the two ministers are the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Managing Director, Petroleum Pricing and Regulatory Agency;  and the Director of the  Department of Petroleum Resources.

Black Friday as youth raze court in Kano over blasphemy

Aggrieved youth on Friday burnt down the Upper Sharia court,  Rijiyar Lemo following the appearance of an Islamic cleric, Abdul Inyas accused of blasphemy.

Thousands of youths had thronged the court to witness the trial of Tijjayya sect leader who was taken into custody last Wednesday after he was rescued from mob at Makwarari quarters.

How 52-year-old grandmother gave birth to baby with traditional beads in Lagos

Baby Bukola  

For Mrs. Funke Adamson, a 52-year-old grandmother and her relations, wow has been the word as she was delivered of a baby girl clutching white ‘Ileke’ (Yoruba name for beads) on her hands.

Despite adopting several family planning strategies, Funke, a traditional worshipper said she was delivered of the baby on Monday, May 11, 2015 at a Trado-medical home in Apapa.