Author: Amina Mohammed

By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN After the right to life, the next important right for every individual is the right to freedom of speech, by which all men and women are conferred with the inalienable right to express themselves freely. In Genesis Chapter 4, God punished Cain for killing his brother Abel without a lawful cause. Even in his state of condemnation, Cain protested the punishment as being too harsh. Genesis 4:13: “And Cain said to the Lord, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I…

Former US president Barack Obama endorsed his fellow Democrat Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House on Friday, delivering a major boost to her campaign to beat Donald Trump in November’s presidential election. “Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support,” Obama said on social media platform X. “At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November. We hope you’ll join us.” The influential…

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has again warned against any planned demonstrations, saying the nation’s capital is not available for any nationwide protest. Wike, former Rivers State Governor, stated this on Thursday while addressing some FCT residents during an inspection tour in Saburi. “For those who want to protest on the 1st, FCT is not available for such protests,” he said while urging residents to desist from embarking on such act. According to the minister, organising a protest won’t solve the challenges currently bedevilling the nation but rather a joint effort from every well-meaning Nigerian . He further said top…

The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu, said had his principal, Godwin Obaseki, been reasonable and spoken to him well, he (Shaibu) would have dropped his governorship ambition and allow the governor have his way in order to preserve their relationship. Shaibu, who described Obaseki as a dictator, said he became more resolved to pursue his governorship ambition after Obaseki threatened he would destroy him if he did not back down. He maintained that he won the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary because he had 381 delegates, who would have voted for him had not not been…

A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has warned those planning to embark on the forthcoming nationwide protest to have a rethink as their actions may spark off a reaction from security agents. In a post on his social media handles titled ‘RE NATIONWIDE HARDSHIP PROTEST: A TIMELY WARNING, Fani-Kayode said while a peaceful protest is acceptable, the #EndBadGovernance protest is being sponsored by some faceless individuals to destabilise the country. He wrote “There is nothing wrong with a peaceful demonstration and a lawful legitimate protest. What is unacceptable is a premeditated attempt by a group of faceless individuals who…

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, is dead. This was confirmed in a statement on Thursday by Jide Iwuanyanwu, the son of the late Chief Emmanuel. According to the statement, the 82-year-old Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday after a brief illness. “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State announces the demise of our patriarch, Engr Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo,” the statement read. “Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday July 25, 2024 after a brief illness. He was aged 82. Chief Iwuanyanwu before his death was President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide…

The Department of State Services has warned the organisers of the planned nationwide protests against proceeding with them. The service said it uncovered a plan by some criminal elements to hijack the protest and cause unrest in the country. The military and police have also warned against the protest scheduled to be held from August 1 to 10 in response to the economic hardship experienced in the country. The DSS, in a statement on Thursday by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, described the motive behind the protest as political. Afunanya added that the plotters of the protest intended to use the…

Grand Slam record-breakers Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were placed on an Olympics second-round collision course in the draw for the Paris Games on Thursday. Nadal, a singles gold medallist at the 2008 Olympics, is playing in his final Games having also won doubles gold in Rio in 2016, while Djokovic was a bronze medallist in singles in 2008. Serbia’s Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion and top seed in Paris following the withdrawal of world number one Jannik Sinner, begins his campaign against Australia’s Matthew Ebden. “I am excited for this duel in the second round, and I will…

The Federal Government has spent over $1.5 billion from 2020 to date to protect the nation’s oil installations and curb crude oil theft. The Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, made this known on Thursday at a public hearing of the House of Representatives on crude oil theft. Akume was represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Maurice Nandi. The SGF said the Federal Government was worried about the report of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) which pointed to over $46 billion worth of stolen crude between 2009 and 2020. The House had set…

The Lagos State Government has clarified that it has no involvement in the Oro festival scheduled from August 1 to 15, which is rumoured to coincide with the #EndBadGovernance protest. The government likened the festival to other religious events held throughout the country, emphasising that traditional worship practices should be respected just as other religious observances are. Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated that the government does not interfere in religious activities, including those of traditional worshippers. He stressed that the festival, like Muslim and Christian events, is a lawful activity and should…