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Osinbajo, Wike, Obi, Adeboye, Kukah, Oyedepo,Others Make List Of 100 Nigeria’s Foremost Thought Leaders

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Ahead of the October 1, 2022 release date, publishers of Nigeria’s premier biographical compendium on thought leaders, “Portraits of Patriots: 100 Nigeria’s Foremost Thought Leaders”, have released the names of the 100 men and women who made the prestigious list.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Governor Peter Obi, business mogul Aliko Dangote, and the Continental Overseer of RCCG, Africa 2, Pastor Ezekiel A. Odeyemi lead the pack of those profiled.

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Others are Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed; AfDB president, Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Bishop Oyedepo, Pastor Kumuyi, Governor Zulum, and Bishop Kukah.

READ ALSO: Why I’m Silent Over PDP Crisis – Saraki

Curiously, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not make the list.

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According to the Editors, Kammonke Abam and Tammie Edet Kammonke, the foremost consideration in determining possible listees for “Portraits of Patriots: 100 Nigeria’s Thought Leaders“ is the extent of an individual’s inspirational value. Such inspirational value is judged by their level of patriotism, nationalism, and commitment to nation-building, defined by how much they put Nigeria first.

These are people who, by their actions, put Nigeria above personal and sectional considerations. They are committed to the greatness of the country and are working towards ensuring that the country becomes what its founding fathers envisioned it to be”, they added.

They said, “the book profiles true Nigerian heroes and heroines, who have as a collective defined a vivid portraiture of the Nigerian story through their lives”

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This, according to them, is against the often disingenuous and stereotypical reportage in some sections of the western media that portrays Nigeria and indeed, Africa as a den of crime, wars, hunger and poverty.

“We have tons of Nigerians who are daily sacrificing in their corners either as thought leaders in the areas of business, public service, civil society, faith, among others towards building a united, prosperous and indivisible country”.

This prestigious listing, according to them, will be annual, as their contribution to curating the contemporary history of Nigeria.

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The editors noted that the greatness of a nation is not just measured by population and natural resources but also by the zest of patriotism of its citizens, the ability to harness, and selflessly deploy that spirit of patriotism to the best advantage of the country

In the words of the editors, “tons of Nigerian leaders are quietly working day and night, sacrificially deploying their personal goodwill to ensuring the development, unity and progress of our great country, Nigeria”.

“Most of these leaders are unsung because they avoid the klieg lights that come with the media yet their contributions to the overall development of our dear country are very impactful”, the editors noted.

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It is some of these leaders we have fished out from their relatively obscure corners for the purpose of acknowledging their selfless contributions to building a virile and united country that we will all be proud of”, Abam and Kammonke said.

READ ALSO: Obasanjo, Okonjo-Iweala, Agbakoba Suggest Solutions To Nigeria’s Challenges

“We are conscious of the fact that any biographical list generates conversation energy of who should or shouldn’t be included. This is therefore not unexpected for this work”, the editors said

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“We have tried within human limits to profile the best in our estimation. We want to acknowledge that ten times the number of people listed in this edition deserve to be so acknowledged. However, our listing has put a bar of 100 for the purpose of getting the best of the best. Those who are not listed in this edition are not necessarily not good enough”, they said.

The compendium will be sold on Amazon and directly by the publishers on-demand basis.

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After Fallout With Trump, Elon Musk Says He’s Forming ‘America Party’

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Billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk, has disclosed that he is forming a third political party, which he called the ‘America Party,’ after a dramatic falling out with Donald Trump over a tax and spending bill recently signed into law by the President.

Musk, who was the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, worked with the current US President as the lead of his cost-cutting government agency—the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—until his recent resignation.

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After bowing out of the DOGE role, Tribune Online reports that Musk started criticizing Trump’s “big beautiful bill” because of estimates that he said would add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.

READ ALSO:Trump Says Will ‘Take A Look’ At Deporting Musk

Speaking via his X social media platform, Musk said, “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”

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Musk, a former ‘first buddy’ of the US President, declared that the new party is for freedom: “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Meanwhile, Musk’s rift with President Trump last month after intense criticism of the spending bill appeared to have cooled after Musk regretted and deleted the most incendiary posts he made linking Trump with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and calling for the President’s impeachment. According to Musk, those posts ‘went too far.’

However, the world’s richest man reignited the feud over the last several days as the bill neared passage and eventually passed by the House before it was subsequently signed at a White House ceremony.

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READ ALSO:Elon Musk Deletes Post Claiming Trump Was ‘In The Epstein Files’

According to CNN, the extent to which Musk has taken steps to legally form the party is unclear, as party formation requires registering with the Federal Election Commission. The most recent FEC filings showed no indication that this has happened, CNN reports.

The owner of X, who has made threats during the social media scuffle with Trump, had indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending, but has offered few other details about what the party’s platform would be.

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While Musk and Trump reportedly share similar views on contemporary social issues, the former has argued the Republican policy agenda will increase the debt, calling it “debt slavery.”

The two-party system in the United States has long been criticized by both registered Democrats and registered Republicans, but efforts in the last century to form a third party have shown little success. Billionaire Ross Perot ran for president as an independent in 1992, winning nearly a fifth of the popular vote, but carried no states in the election, which was won by Bill Clinton.

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Australian Actor Julian McMahon Is Dead

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Australian actor Julian McMahon, best known for his roles in Nip/Tuck, Charmed, and Fantastic Four, has died at the age of 56.

McMahon passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday following a private battle with cancer.

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His death was confirmed in a statement released on Friday by his wife, Kelly.

The statement read,”With an open heart, I share with the world that Julian McMahon, my beloved husband, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Is Dead

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His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.

“We wish all of those to whom Julian brought joy to continue to find joy in life.

“We are grateful for the memories.”

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Born into a prominent political family, McMahon was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William McMahon.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Renowned Businessman, Aminu Dantata, Is Dead

In a nod to his family’s legacy, he portrayed an Australian prime minister in the Netflix drama ‘The Residence.’

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McMahon’s career spanned decades, earning him international recognition for his roles as Dr. Christian Troy in ‘Nip/Tuck’, Cole Turner in ‘Charmed’, and Victor Von Doom in ‘Fantastic Four’.

He was married three times, including a high-profile marriage to Australian singer and actress Dannii Minogue, sister of pop icon Kylie Minogue.

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Thai Police Rescue Eight-year-old Boy Living With Dogs, Unable To Speak

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An eight-year-old boy has been rescued in Thailand after authorities discovered him living among dogs and only able to communicate by barking.

According to Dailymail on Friday, the boy, whose name has been withheld, was found on Monday during a welfare check at a ramshackle, drug-infested house in Lap Lae District, Uttaradit Province.

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Local reports say the child had been living with his mother, 46, and his 23-year-old brother, both of whom tested positive for drug use after a police raid.

Neighbours revealed that the family had long been isolated from the community, and the boy had no contact with other children. Instead, he spent his days with the family’s six dogs, which he reportedly mimicked.

READ ALSO:24-year-old Thai Lady Arrested At Lagos Airport With Illicit Drugs

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“He didn’t speak, he just barked. It was pitiful to see,” said Paveena Hongsakul, president of the activist foundation which worked with police on the rescue.

Authorities said the boy had only attended school once, despite his mother receiving government stipends of around 400 baht (£9) meant to support his education.

His mother hasn’t allowed him to go to school since he received a subsidy for free education,” Hongsakul explained. “After getting the money, she simply kept him at home.”

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Neighbours were said to have forbidden their children from playing with the young boy due to the family’s behaviour.

The mother was reportedly known in the area for begging at temples and has now been charged with drug use.

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A local teacher described the boy’s environment as a “red zone for drugs” and said that neighbours forbade their children from interacting with him.

‘The house is in a red zone for drugs,’ one teacher explained. ”The boy had no one, just the dogs to play with.”

The disturbing situation came to light after a headteacher raised the alarm, prompting activists and police to raid the house on June 30.

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Images shared in Thai media showed authorities at the shack surrounded by trees and several dogs.

Following the rescue, the boy was taken to a children’s home, where he will receive medical and psychological care.

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Ms Hongsakul, of the Foundation for Children and Women, will work with authorities to ensure the child receives continuous education, and her organisation will monitor his progress.

Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
The boy will be given a chance at a good life. We’ll follow up with him to make sure he gets everything he needs,” she said.

Cases of so-called “feral children”, youngsters raised with little or no human contact, are extremely rare but often highlight the severe consequences of neglect.

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Experts cite the example of Oxana Malaya, a Ukrainian girl found in 1991 living with dogs after her parents abandoned her. Though she eventually learned to speak and reintegrated into society, she still struggled with some developmental challenges.

Authorities in Thailand say they are committed to giving the rescued boy a fresh start and the chance to live a normal life.

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