Culture is a strong instrument for peace, development and national unity. One can see a number of ways in which culture plays an important role in development. First, the culture industry is a dynamic and prosperous sector of the economy that provides fabulous avenues for development through growth and employment.

His manner of interaction even with his members of staff exuded simplicity. None had to fret over his presence, and that alone reshaped my impression of this chartered accountant, politician and businessman whose father is the famous Deltan second republic senator, Senator David Dafinone. The second son in the Dafinone dynasty of chartered accountants, Chief Ede Omueya Dafinone is a partner at Horwath Dafinone, a chartered accounting firm in Lagos. One stupendous aspect of this man’s life is his perception of politics. In 2007, Ede contested under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party-PDP-for the Senate seat in Delta Central but lost in the primaries.

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was, Saturday, held in Lagos State amid delay in capturing the candidates’ biometric data, malpractices, and shortage of question papers.

The July 14, 2012 Governorship elections in Edo State, were reportedly overwhelmingly won by the incumbent Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. According to the election results, the Governor won in all the 18 Local Government Areas of the State.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, has challenged universities to move away from faculty-centered and lecture-based paradigm to the one where learners are the focus of teaching and learning.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, says President Goodluck Jonathan has justified the mandate given to him by the electorate in the 2011 general elections.

President Goodluck Jonathan, for once, has my sympathies – because he is a prisoner of circumstances. Only a few were self-created; the majority were invented by his declared enemies and undisclosed adversaries. In the entire history of Nigeria, no Head of Government has ever faced the set of problems associated with the Boko Haram insurgency that this particular President has had to confront right from the first day after inauguration on May 29, 2011.

The pronouncement by the Minister of National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, that the realisation of the Vision 20:2020 by Nigeria is under probability has revealed the reality on the rate of growth in the country.

Senator Iyiola Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun State, was in the Senate from 2003-2011. He is eying the Osun State Government House again, this time as governor. In this interview, Omisore bares his mind on the 2014 governorship election in the state, his gubernatorial ambition, how the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may boycott the election if the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, fails to remove the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, the state as presently run by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the late Bola Ige murder saga, among others.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”(James 5:16).

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?” – Mahatma Gandhi

In line with its vision of giving hope, restoring dignity and performing her corporate social responsibility, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lagos Province 1 recently embarked on putting smile on the face some of the residents of Ebute-Meta and Apapa Road area by organizing a two day moment of hope, reports OLAYINKA LATONA.

Founder of Cherubim Seraphim, Success Gate Inc, Akure, Ondo State, Primate Ademisokun Turton has cautioned against the imposition of taxes on churches by the Federal Government, arguing that such move will have adverse effects on the citizenry who are members of the Church.

Mr. Ekpo Una Owo Nta, lawyer and administrator, currently presides over the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, an agency charged with the task of fighting corruption in the country. Although Nta assumed office at a time the public perception of the anti-graft agencies in Nigeria is at its lowest ebb, the former OMPADEC director believes strongly that with proper education and determination, the scourge will be brought under control. He describes plea bargain as an acceptable international tool that Nigeria needs to move the corruption war forward.

Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, has challenged African leaders to modify their concepts of security as panacea to sustainable development, and to include in their security agenda non–conventional threats to the well-being of their peoples.