I READ an interesting Facebook broadcast by a friend of mine, Ray Morphy Ugba, the morning just before coming to the office to write this article. Ray is a journalist, politician, blogger and (from what I saw after the broadcast) also a musician. He hails from Cross River State, though he seems quite proud of the fact that his mother is an Igbo woman, which is why he calls Igbos “my mother’s people”.

As part of measures to address the rising trend of unclaimed dividends in the nation’s capital market, which has hit the N80 billion mark, banks and registrars have been mandated by both the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC to set up e-dividend champions in their respective institutions.

ABUJA— The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with China Railway Construction Corporation, CRCC, for the construction of Warri-Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Abuja rail line.

MINNA—GOVERNOR Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, has ordered immediate release of all persons arrested by the military over the incident in Bosso Local Government Area of the state that claimed the lives of 12 military personnel and some civilians to the police for thorough investigation.

ABUJA—Chairman of Federal Civil Service Commission, FCSC, Deaconness Joan Ayo, has discovered some irregular/unauthorized appointments in the civil service. Deaconess Ayo, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, said the appointments in question, uncovered by the on-going staff auditing at the FCSC, were null and void.

ABUJA—With conflicting claims by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his allies that the anti-corruption agencies lack powers to try them for padding the 2016 budget, it has emerged that the Federal Government has already settled on how to deal with any of them found wanted.

Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday, released a new video which showed the abducted Chibok school girls, asking their parents to prevail on the federal government to release the sect members held in different detention centres across the country in exchange for the girls.

ABUJA—EMBATTLED former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmunin Jibrin, yesterday, wrote to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to explain why he levelled allegations against Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Kolawole is one of the reasons for buying THISDAY. His economic analysis is always incisive and professional. Even when you don’t agree with him, it is almost impossible not to respect his point of view. Simon, though generally correct in that article made two minor errors. First he assumed we don’t have an “economic war room” and that jollof rice was not part of the package of giveaways by the APC government which would have loved to have the Biblical Prodigal son as a member of that war room.

Households across the Nation have become severely traumatized by the escalating prices of goods and services, particularly in the last six months or so. The uneasy feeling that one’s pocket has been picked has probably become common after every visit to the market, while the smallest available plastic sachet may be all that is needed to pack your N10,000 purchase(s) from the ubiquitous corner street medicine stores in our cities.

When in 2004, the CBN asked Nigerian banks to put in place a management succession plan, many banks did not take it seriously. Zenith Bank in its usual proactive approach to banking puts in place a team of high caliber managers. One of the third generations of managers Zenith Bank lined up in its succession plan, who took over from Godwin Emefiele now CBN Governor is Peter Amangbo. He has steered the financial ship of Zenith to higher levels. The bank has continued in its tradition of excellence to deliver superior results even in the most challenging business environment.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will be special guest of honour, while South Africa’s leading publisher and CEO of The Mail and Guardian, Mr. Trevor Ncube, will be the guest speaker at the first anniversary lecture of The Interview magazine scheduled for Tuesday, September 6 in Abuja.

LAGOS—Five persons, including two children, were yesterday confirmed dead and five others injured in multiple auto accidents on Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.

CALABAR—THE National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, officials in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, are currently in the custody of a two weeks old baby reportedly rescued from a Cameroonian couple, Mr. Kamsol Ayang, 44, and wife, Theresa Asamoa, 46, in Calabar, Cross River States.

THERE is hunger in the land and poverty is wide spread; this however does not mean poverty should be spread. There are those who must live padded lives. After all, we must not all drink good wines; there are those who are ordained to drink them on our behalf. In fact, I once heard that the people drink champagne through the throats of their leaders.