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Nigeria Goes No Where Without Functional System – Activist

Published

2 years ago

September 28, 2022

Editor

Without a system that works in place, Nigeria has missed it ahead of the 2023 Presidential election, Executive Director, Foundation for Good Governance and Social Change (FGGSC), Comrade Austin Osakue, has said.

Oaakue stated in Benin on Wednesday while speaking at a Colloquium to mark the 4th anniversary of Rural Development, Information and Legal Advocacy Centre (RUDILAC), and the 2022 International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) organised in conjunction with the Edo State Ministry of Communication and Orientation.

He explained that all those jostling to be president may not bring the desired change in the absence of a functional system in place.

“What is required is a system that works and unless a functional system is put in place, no individual can change Nigeria”, he stressed.

Osakue whose lecture was titled “Access to Information: A Building/Road Block For a Resilient Society”, said it is critical to deepen access to information in the country, pointing out that no society can survive for long concealing information.

He listed transparency and accountability as pillars of good governance, adding that Freedom of Information or access to information, is simply saying that citizens have a right to know what is happening within the governance system.

“Freedom of Information is at the heart of transparency and accountability. Instead of being a stumbling block, Freedom of Information is supposed to promote good governance”, Osakue said.

He canvassed collaboration as the way forward, saying individuals cannot do it alone and called on journalists, civil society groups, NGOs and Lawyers to close ranks to enable them make progress and achieve their common goals.

In his lecture “Toolbox for Access to Information Regime in Edo State”, Maxwell Kadiri, a Senior Strategic Litigation Officer, Open Society Justice Initiative”, noted that political elite and leaders across board appear to be uncomfortable when access to information is being discussed.

He explained that access to information is not necessarily tied to legislation, citing India which started allowing its people access to information, flowing from its constitution and Democratic practice 20 years before a formal legislation on the subject was passed.

“Governments across the country have obligation to allow citizens of access to information by virtue of the democracy we practise and the African and Peoples Charter of 1990”.

He stressed that government officials by the concept of democracy are only holding information in trust for the people, adding that the information is not their property.

“Public officers don’t understand the provisions of the FOI in their failure to allow the citizens proactive access to information”, Kadiri further stated.

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‘I’m Considering Having 4th Child’ – Mother Of Three Who Breastfeeds Husband , 3 Kids [PHOTOS]

Published

5 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

A Florida woman who made headlines for breastfeeding her husband has revealed that they are considering having another baby so she starts lactating again.

Rachel Bailey, 31, and her husband Alexander, 30, said they have “grieved” their “bonding experience” since her body stopped producing milk in the past year.

The couple’s three children have all weaned off the milk, which meant Alexander had to as well.

Now, they are considering having a fourth child so they keep up the habit.

“I was in so much pain and I was scared about getting an infection, so we decided that my husband was going to try drinking the milk to relieve me,” she said.

Mum-of-three who breastfeeds her husband alongside their kids reveals she

“We were nervous about the idea of him breastfeeding from me as we thought it seemed weird, but as soon as we did it, we realized it was perfectly fine.”

The couple continued the practice after the births of their two younger children, with Ms Bailey breastfeeding her husband at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Once her supply dwindled, they switched to nightly feedings. Ms Bailey claims that because her milk is “so nutritious,” it kept Alexander from getting a cold for more than two years and left his skin glowing.

“He ended up loving the taste of my breast milk and even prefers it to cow’s milk now,” she said.

When her breasts stopped producing milk, she said they grieved the bonding experience they shared because of her breastfeeding him.

They even briefly considered growing their family to keep up the breastfeeding.

“We grieved that bonding experience that we shared, and we even spoke about having one more baby so that we could do it again,” Ms Bailey said.

“However, we realized that was a drastic action to take and a lot of work, so instead we began looking for other ways that we could bond as a couple.”

Instead, they now get up at 5 am each morning to catch up and meditate before getting on with the rest of their day.

“It was never a sexual thing for us. We did it because it was an amazing way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,” Ms Bailey said.

“We really miss the breastfeeding times that we shared, but we have found new ways to connect.”

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VIDEO Newly Appointed LG Supervisors, Advisers In Ekiti Take Oath Of Office With ‘Ogún’

Published

6 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

A video showing newly appointed supervisors and advisers of Ikere-Ekiti LGA in Ekiti state were sworn in with an ‘Ògún’ totem and the Quran.

A viral video shows the supervisors and advisers swearing at the conference hall of the office of Olu Adamolekun, chairman of Ikere-Ekiti LGA.

The oath of office was administered on the appointees by Adamolekun. The appointees could be seen taking turns to wield a cutlass (a totem for the god of iron) in one hand and a Quran in the other.

While administering the oath of office, Adamolekun asked the appointees to repeat the following in Yoruba

‘’From today, I will be loyal and truthful to BAO (Ekiti state governor), and Monisade (deputy governor), APC and its leaders. I will take instructions from the leaders. If I refuse to do so, Ogun or Quran should kill me. For this, I will be truthful” each appointee said as they took their oath

In Nigeria, public office holders usually swear an oath of office using the Quran or Bible, while pledging allegiance to the constitution.

Watch the video of the swearing-in ceremony below:

News

JUST IN: DSS Arrests Wanted Oyo Motorpark Boss, Auxiliary

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

The Department of State Services has reportedly arrested the wanted former chairman of the Oyo State Park Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary.

The PUNCH reliably gathered that Auxiliary was arrested at about 4:00 pm on Tuesday at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the state capital.

Although the reasons for his arrest are still sketchy, a source who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because of the weight of the matter said it was because of an interview he granted on Saturday, May 4, in which he called out Seye Famojuro, a trusted ally of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for being behind his woes.

In the interview he granted to Media personnel, Ajibola Akinyefa, in the Yoruba Language, the former PMS chairman said, “If he (Famojuro) is the governor or Seyi Makinde is, we will know. It is just a matter of time. Everybody will face the consequences of their actions. The people he chose to manage the park are cheating themselves.

When asked if it was his hooliganism that led to his removal, Auxiliary queried how many people reported that he beat them to the police.

He further said that Seye would still return to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his homeland.

“Seye will still go back to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his town. Only Governor Seyi Makinde and I will remain here because we won’t run away. And I see that the bird is not working, but God feeds it. Seye will reap the seeds of his actions,” he added.

In May 2023, Auxiliary was arrested after being linked to an alleged attempt by his loyalists to cause trouble in the state following the dissolution of the PMS committee by Makinde.

An impeccable source who spoke with PUNCH Metro said the police acted swiftly to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state, adding that during the raid, Lamidi escaped which led to him being declared wanted.

The source, who craved anonymity over fears of harassment, said, “From what we gathered, the police acted on the information that some members of the Auxiliary’s camp wanted to cause trouble based on the government disbanding their operations in the state.

“So, the police were proactive, stormed their location, made some arrests and recovered some arms and ammunition. But Auxiliary was not arrested. The people arrested were in connection with the fact that intelligence linked them to an attempt to cause trouble in the state today.”

However, attempts to reach the spokesperson for DSS, Peter Afunnaya, proved abortive as several calls made to him were unanswered and text messages ignored.