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No Going Back, International Witchcraft Conference Organisers Vow, As CAN Protest

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Conveners of International Witchcraft Conference billed to hold in Enough State Have vowed to proceed on holding the conference in spite the cancellation of the venue booked earlier for the conference after series of protests by students of University of Nigeria (UNN) an Chriatian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Director of the B.I.C. Ijomah Centre for Policy Studies and Research, Professor Egodi Uchendu, while making this known, said the protest and campaign by the Christian Association of Nigeria and Christian students in the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka will not deter them from holding the academic conference.

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“Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right. CAN and others are free to express their opinions just like we have the freedom to have an academic conference on witchcraft”, Mrs Uchendu, a professor of history said.

“I’m delighted that the conference is generating the debate it should across the nation. Nigerians should look critically into the subject of the conference and identify how it’s impeding our national existence and personal experience”.

Speaking further on the cancellation, Professor Uchendu said the booking for Energy Centre, as venue for the conference, billed to begin 26 November as centre owned by the Federal Government and domiciled in the UNN.

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Prof Uchendu said; “UNN DID NOT deny us use of Energy Centre, Energy Centre did. Energy Centre is a Federal organ domiciled in UNN.

The conference on witchcraft has generated controversy since it was announced that it would take place in UNN, Nsukka.

Students, believing that witches and wizards would descend on UNN during the conference, printed posters decrying the plan.

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They were purportedly joined by the Christian Association of Nigeria, which escalated the opposition and urged Christians in the South East zone to embark on prayers to dissuade the organisers from holding the conference.

Chairman of CAN in the South-East zone, Bishop Dr Goddy Okafor demanded that the programme be called off immediately.

“I call on all heads of Blocks, state chairmen and other stakeholders of Christian Association of Nigeria, South-East zone to take up aggressive prayers against the planned convention of witches and wizards slated to hold on November 26 at UNN.

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“I hereby direct all Christian Churches in South East of Nigeria to take up lamentation and pray against this evil movement in all our churches this coming Sunday.

“I also call upon all Christian Campus Fellowship Groups and other Christian Students’ Associations to join in this effort and stand up for JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD against this evil development in South East Of NIGERIA.”

“This convention is not of God and must not hold in Jesus name. Exodus 22:18 says, ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’ “, he added.

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Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro

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The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.

This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.

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Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.

This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.

READ ALSO:Lagos Monarch Dethrones Six Chiefs For ‘Impersonating’ Him At Labour Party Campaign

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He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.

We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.

According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.

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He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.

READ ALSO:Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.

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He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.

Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.

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Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

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The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.

In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.

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The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.

READ ALSO:FG Gives Overstaying Foreigners Ultimatum To Regularise Visa

The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.

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The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.

TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.

The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.

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FG Unveils N50m Grant To Boost Student Innovation, Entrepreneurship

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The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced a N50m Student Grant Venture Capital Initiative to support scaling student-led enterprises in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Alausa said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by turning homegrown research into commercially viable products and services.

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The minister made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja when he inaugurated the Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee.

READ ALSO:NSCDC, Immigration, Others: FG Postpones Recruitment, Changes Portal

He said the scheme, which will be anchored by TETFund in partnership with the Bank of India, targets undergraduate students in 300-level and above with viable business models and innovations ready for market expansion.

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According to the minister, the development is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven one.

We have hundreds of thousands of young geniuses across our institutions. This fund is designed to unlock their potential and help them build globally competitive enterprises,” the minister said.

READ ALSO:FG Gives Overstaying Foreigners Ultimatum To Regularise Visa

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On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s education and innovation history.

For too long, research in our tertiary institutions has been reduced to tools for promotion rather than solutions for development. This must change,” she said.

In his response, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, described the RICC as “a matter of national urgency”, noting that Nigeria’s research investment as a percentage of GDP is among the lowest when compared to peer nations.

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