IN the days of innocence, the preachment was ‘Blessed are the peace makers’. In these days of globalisation, rather than make peace, nations tend to stoke the fires of conflict. So is it with the Saudi Arabia-Iran spat which began with the January 2, 2016 mass execution of forty seven persons after trials which even the usually complacent United Nations described as raising “serious concerns over the nature of the charges and the fairness of the process”

African leaders, including ministers of health, finance, and other line ministries, will gather in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 24-25 February 2016, for the Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa – the first-ever ministerial-level convening with a singular focus on ensuring that people across the continent can get access to life-saving vaccines.

This Aayah outlines the structural reality found in the human nature when it comes to issue of relationships. It says: “…then invested him with ties of blood and marriage”, in other words man is naturally tied by the rope of human fraternity through blood relations and marriage. You and I are either someone else’s son, daughter,grandson, granddaughter, farther, grandfather son in law, daughter in law father, grandfather or husband and wife.

Ogun State House of Assembly has passed the 2016 Appropriation Bill of N200,200, 453, 352.00 reflecting a marginal reduction of about N74m from the total of N200,274,453,352 presented to the lawmakers by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun a month ago. Amosun had proposed a total budget of N200.27billion as Appropriation Bill for 2016 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

Ekiti State has been in the news for several reasons since the second coming of Mr Ayodele Fayose as the governor of the state in October 16, 2014. Ekiti, like every other state in the federation depends on federal allocation for survival and as a matter of fact, eighty percent of its revenue is derived from the federal allocation, thus if the federal allocation sneezes, Ekiti would definitely catch cold and in-truth since the major Nigeria revenue earner, which is oil started experiencing dwindling fortunes, from the olympian height of $140 per barrela few years ago to its present low of $34, the effects on Ekiti has been very profound.

OF the states in the South West Region, attention would be shifted towards Ondo state next year as the governorship election is scheduled to hold latest by October. The two term tenure of the incumbent governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko will lapse and a new chapter in the polity of the state would be opened. On- going alignment and re- alignment within the two leading political Parties APC and PDP will definitely shape events in the new year.

The year 2016 will no doubt be an interesting year in the Pacesetter State with the array of events lined up. Residents in the state will likely face some challenges in the supply of the premium motor spirit as a result of the slight reduction in the pump fuel price from N87 to N86. The marketers of the product both major and independent have been giving motorists in the state serious nightmares as they hoard the product to create the impression that it is scarce.

Bye election in Ife Central following the death of Hon. Samson Makinde after six months in office is expected to determine the shape of events politically in the state in 2016. Ife has not been a good hunting ground for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the town produced the two opposition members in the House of Assembly in the last general assembly polls.

In Lagos State, the governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode may have a herculean task executing the 2016 budget. Having submitted a budget proposal of N665.588billion to the House of Assembly, with a pledge that his administration would not only implement the budget faithfully, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, made it clear that he would ensure that the budget work in the best interest of Lagosians.

Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been crowned CAF African Player of the Year for the first time.

The 26-year old beat Ivorian Yaya Toure and Ghana’s Andre Ayew to the crown, the most prestigious individual award in African football. He polled 143 points, seven more than Toure whilst Ayew finished a distant third with 112 point

I RAN into a group of youth corper members who were engaged in the last election exercise. What follows is their story unedited. This is not meant to undermine the legitimacy of Muhammed Buhari’s presidency. I believe that if the election had been free and fair he would have won. President Goodluck Jonathan was a tired man in 2014. In my estimation, Mr. Jonathan abdicated. After an abdication, the most worthy heir or person with the best claim, usually succeeded. So, Buhari obviously had a better claim and succeeded.

In a reaction, Kpaduwa, who recalled that he and his wife did their best to ensure Igonoh had a safe delivery, said the story of Ebola is one that has captivated the whole world, even as he recognised that Nigeria’s triumph over the outbreak was significant indeed.

NOTING that his joy knew no bounds, Dr. Akinniyi Fadipe, who is a Medical Officer at the First Consultant Medical Centre, Lagos, “I am one of the 2014 Ebola survivors in Nigeria. I am very happy that I have a baby just like any other person, but I’m more excited because this is a development that came after a very dreadful period of Ebola.”

ANOTHER survivor, Dr. Adewale Adejoro, whose wife, Mrs. Opeyemi Justina Adejoro, was safely delivered a healthy baby girl on December 1, 2015, thanked God for his complete healing.

Former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Rivers State governor, Mr Opunabo Nko-Taria, has declared support for the efforts by the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the April 11, 2015 governorship election, Dr Dakuku Peterside and the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to wrest power from Governor Nyesom Wike.