News

Emotion, Joy As Benin IDP Camp Rolls Out First Class Graduates, Others

Published

2 years ago

September 16, 2023

Editor

… Coordinator Pleads To Govt, Nation Of The World To Invest On The Children

… Over 3,000 Displaced Children Domiciled In The Camp

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

It was a moment of emotion mixed with joy at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, Benin, as fresh graduates of university who have passed through the camp gave testimony one after the other on how Home for the Needy Foundation, operators of the IDP camp changed their lives

The graduates, of whom many bagged First Class in different universities were sponsored by Home for the Needy Foundation, and were majorly drawn from the northern part of Nigera.

INFO DAILY reports that 18 students who passed through the camp just graduated from different universities; over 80 students have graduated so far; over 200 undergraduates in different universities while over 150 students admissions are being processed.

INFO DAILY also reports that children under Home for the Needy Foundation care at the IDP camp are majorly children who were displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the far northern Nigeria, mainly Borno, Adamawa states, etc.

In his testimony, a First Class graduate of Chemical Engineering, Amos Ishaku, said all hope was lost until he was brought to the camp where he was given new orientation and made to overcome trauma he was passing through as a result of the killings and shootings he experienced as a young boy.

Ishaku, who said he came to the IDP camp from Borno State in 2014 through connection from his former Headmaster, said he had initially dropped out of school due to Boko Haram’s incessant attacks on his community and school, adding that he never thought of going back to school if not for the foundation.

He said: “I never thought of going back to school after dropping out of school for good two years. I was hustling on my own; going to people’s farm to assist them then they pay me 200 per day.”

He continued: “I was so traumatized that all I see and think about was the deaths, gunshots we used to hear. But when I came here they started encouraging us to go back to school.”

He added: “I promised to make the Coordinator proud with all efforts he put on me. So, from my day one, I made up my mind that I must graduate with First Class, and today I graduated with First Class.”

Rifkatu Ali, a Second Class Upper graduate of Law who was said to have lost hope when she was brought to the camp, said with the orientation she got from the camp she was determined to make a difference in her education, adding that God helped her.

“When I got here we were assured of going back to school. I was told here to forget all that had happened, and that I can still make it again. So, I started school here in SS 1.

“Here, the kind of orientation we were giving is that we should not do malpractice in school during exams. We are to read our books and pass our SSCE. Because of the orientation I got here, I was determined to read and pass my exams.”

Also, Saminu Wakili, best graduating student of law in his set said: “I came here as ashes but something good is coming out of my life. I came here with a meaningless life, but today my life is meaningful. I came to Home for the Needy Foundation seeking for solace in January 2015.

“What they give us here is actually the best. They make here like a home for us. The things they provided for us here are guardian & counselling, ‘trauma-therapist,’ etc. They took away the major challenge of trauma from us and made us to focus on education.”

Speaking, Coordinator, Home for the Needy Foundation, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, pleaded with government at levels in Nigera and nations of the world to join in investing in the lives of the children, adding that over 3,000 imates are currently being taken care of by the foundation.

He said: “Presently, we have over 3,000 inmates in the camp all pursuing their life styles in a manner that is within the ambit of the extant laws of the country. These imates depending on Home for the Needy Foundation for their daily feeding, shelter, education,primary health care and other welfare.”

He added: “So, we are here to also plead with Federal Government, state governments and nations around the world to please come and invest in this place. We are ready to do more if the resources are available. We change lives here. We want to take children from the streets and make them useful in the society.

“We don’t do anything that is contrary to the law here, we are just adding beauty to the nation.”

The Coordinator expressed optimism that with the kind of orientation given to the children, they would go into the society and put an end to many social vices bedeviling the country.

News

‘We Cure Madness With Madness’: Five Things To know About Taye Currency

Published

8 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The name ‘Taye Currency’ has continued to trend on social media following the Fuji music artiste’s performance at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, on Friday.

Taye Currency, during his performance at the coronation event which took place at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, rendered a line in Yoruba, “Were la fi n wo were,” which translates to “we cure madness with madness.”

The line, which seems not to have sat well with many Nigerians, particularly those of Yoruba heritage, has continued to generate a lot of criticism, with many opining that such lyrics were not befitting for the occasion, which had in attendance dignitaries including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors, ministers, traditional rulers, and other crème de la crème of society.

Reacting to the development, the Olu of Kemta Orile in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho, criticised Taye Currency for what he described as “classless and unbefitting lyrics.”

According to him, the musician failed to accord the coronation its due respect, describing his lyrics as unbefitting of the sacred ceremony.

He said, “The throne of our ancestors is not a stage for mockery, nor the coronation of a great monarch a subject for careless entertainment.

“Kingship is sacred, adorned with honor and guarded by tradition. It demands reverence, dignity, honor, class and the utmost respect from all who stand in its presence.

“Listening to the musician (Taye Currency), who was invited to render music before the Crown, as a matter of fact before the entire world, to serenade the audience and sing in a way to express admiration, singing songs like (were lafi n wo were) We use madness to cure madness.

“Such lyrics were classless and unbefitting of such occasions, it is insulting to the sacredness of the gathering.”

While Taye Currency is well known among Fuji music lovers, especially those from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, his performance at the Olubadan coronation has made people want to know more about him.

In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at five things to know about the trending Fuji musician.

1. Full Name and Age

His full name is Taye Akande Adebisi. Apart from his popular stage name, Taye Currency, he is also known as ‘Apesin.’ He celebrated his 50th birthday on December 17, 2024.

2. Appointment as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, appointed him as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism in 2019 during the governor’s first tenure.

3. Father of a Lawmaker

In 2019, Taye Currency’s son, Yusuf Oladeni Adebisi, was elected into the Oyo State House of Assembly to represent Ibadan South-West Constituency 1, which earned Taye Currency another nickname, ’Baba Honorable’ (Honourable’s father). He was re-elected in 2023 as a lawmaker on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

4. Financial Setback

In April 2025, Taye Currency publicly lamented that he lost N10 million to CBEX, a crypto/investment scheme many now regard as a collapsed Ponzi platform. He explained that he was convinced to invest by close associates, only to see the scheme crumble shortly after.

5. Affiliation with Pasuma

Taye Currency has often maintained that although he never learnt Fuji music from his senior colleague, Wasiu Alabi Odetona, popularly known as Pasuma, whom he first met in 1993, he still considers him a boss.

News

JUST IN: PENGASSAN Strike May Trigger Nationwide Blackout, Thermal Plants Shut Down

Published

10 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

Nigerians may face a nationwide blackout from Monday as power generation companies have raised the alarm over an imminent shutdown of thermal plants following directives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, raised the alarm over the imminent blackout in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.

She revealed that gas suppliers had issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with PENGASSAN’s strike resolution.

“Good day, all. Thermal GenCos have received notification from our gas suppliers to shut down our thermal power plants following directives from PENGASSAN. The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has specifically requested GenCos to comply,” Ogaji said in the post.

She warned that the development could plunge the country into darkness, as hydroelectric dams alone cannot sustain the national grid.

“Please all be notified of the imminent darkness, as hydros alone cannot sustain the system,” she added.

The warning comes hours after PENGASSAN announced that it would commence a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The oil workers’ union, after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members in all oil and gas installations to down tools until the sackings were reversed.

The action could cripple crude production, fuel supply, gas distribution and now electricity generation, worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians.

With thermal stations accounting for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, industry experts say the shutdown will trigger widespread outages, stretch hydro plants beyond capacity and heighten the risk of a nationwide system collapse.

News

Customs Launches One-stop-shop To Cut Cargo Clearance To 48 Hours

Published

12 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One-Stop-Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

Adeniyi said the reform was designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in customs operations but also emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.

The NCS boss said the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.

He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.

The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.

According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, thereby reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.

He said the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction.