An indigenous ship owner and a member of the Nigerian Shipowners Association, NISA, Mr. Osita Onumonu has alleged that his 5,000 tonnes vessel, MT Sapphire 1 and her crew, was detained shortly after it was attacked by pirates.

THE political atmosphere in Abia state is assuming an interesting dimension as the opposition parties in the state appear set to take the game to the ruling PDP in the governance of the state.

Following his side’s slim victory over the Congolese U-23 national team, Samon Siasia has invited five additional players to boost the Dream Team’s effort to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifiers. The Nigerian side defeated Congo 2-1 in Port Harcourt on Sunday with a brace from Junior Ajayi, while the second leg is due in Congo in a forthnight. The Dream Team VI coach has invited Enyimba’s Kingsley Sokari, four others to boost his team performance against Congo.

A faction of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Bayelsa State, yesterday, flayed the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva over the reception held weekend to receive scores of defectors from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying that the action was illegal and a desperate attempt to provide cover for corrupt politicians against possible prosecution by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

With about 760 cases of sexual assault recorded in two years and only two convictions in Lagos, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, declared war against perpetrators of rape in the state, saying ‘desist from such act or face the music.’

CONSIDERING the importance of teachers to students’ academic success, lecturers have been enjoined to build competence in teaching and learning to boost students’ performance. Professor Sola Akinrinade who gave this charge during a training for top executives in tertiary institutions held in Texas, USA said: “Institutions can enhance their capacity for sustainable development by developing their teaching and learning competencies.”

Will the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, LSJSC, be dissolved when the members’ tenure has not expired? This is the question on the lips of observers. It was learned that the tenure of the current members took effect from February 27 and will end on February 26, 2020 following their re-appointment by former Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN.

Once the stolen funds are returned to the country there is also the important issue of how to monitor the use of the funds to make sure that they are not re-stolen or diverted, as it is alleged to be the case in the returned Abacha loot. Here Nigeria can learn from the experience of Kazakhstan where civil society groups were asked to supervise the use of illegally obtained funds for the benefit of needy children. This arrangement is permitted under article 57(5) of the UNCAC, which allows states to enter into mutually acceptable arrangements for the disposal of confiscated property.

The inevitable question at this juncture is whether there is any reason why a person tainted with an allegation of crime concerning or arising from corruption, financial crimes and allied offences, must first be incarcerated before being released on bail, often on unfriendly terms? If anyone should cast their minds back to the arrests that followed the recent reforms in the banking sector, it would become doubtful whether any bankeras allowed to go home without a remand soon after arraignment.

I like the saying – ’if an opportunity does not knock, you will need to build a door and knock on the opportunity.’ That means you need to be proactive, decisive and above all an opportunity builder who does not sit all day long waiting for the best to magically come his/her way. Finally, in the remaining months of the year, don’t just want to be the best, learn how to be the best and just do it.