THE reports heralding a proposed visit by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli Emiko to Lagos simply triggered enthusiastic feelings among those conversant with the historical narrative of the Itsekiri ethnic group.

If the Kaduna State House of Assembly eventually passes into law an Executive Bill currently before it, a resident risks spending two years in jail if he plays any cassettes containing religious recordings or music in his car. This is one of the several provisions of the proposed legal document tagged, “A Bill to Substitute the Kaduna State Religious Preaching Law, 1984” which Governor Nasir El-Rufai wants the lawmakers to approve, ostensibly as part of measures to curb the spate of religious upheavals in the area. Kaduna has had perhaps more than its fair dose of violent religious riots in northern Nigeria. Reports from human rights groups show that about 15,000 persons lost their lives in February and May 2000 alone when metropolitan Kaduna virtually went up in flames as sections of residents protested the move by government to hoist the Shariah flag in the state. Incidentally, the then Governor Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi had proposed before the House of Assembly, a Bill seeking to implement the Islamic Shariah legal system, after a successful launch of the initiative in Zamfara Started months earlier.

The people of Ezukwu Community, Ibusa in present-day Delta State have lived in peace with the rabbit for as long as they can recall. For them, the animal has spiritual affinity with their belief. Hence, whenever the rabbit finds its way into the home of an Ezukwu man, all he has to do is sing praises of Mother Rabbit until it goes out unharmed. The mystique surrounding this ancient myth is still upheld till date.

THE US government has debunked claims made in some articles that the United States is reducing HIV/AIDS funding to Nigeria.

AT the just concluded Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival celebration in Lagos, the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, Mr. Liu Kan said the Chinese government is committed to ensuring formidable bilateral ties with Nigeria, adding that China is no stranger to Nigeria and many African countries. Liu said that with several projects spanning the previous few decades, Africa has always been cherished as the ‘foundation of the foundation’ in Chinese diplomacy.

It was an unlikely tale of boat-related tragedies on the waterways of Nigeria in the past months. The immediate past year was particularly eventful with several such tragedies recorded. The tragic tale of mishaps continued in 2016 as last month, a boat conveying 17 passengers capsized, killing seven persons in Badore area of Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

FOR a long time Jide Atanda, a Lagos commercial vehicle driver, delighted in terrorising other road users through his unbridled reckless driving. A self-styled James Bond, Jide, who plies the Isolo/Mushin route, was particularly notorious for driving against the traffic and negotiating treacherous bends at hair-raising speed

In this first of a three-part article, my aim is to get President Muhammadu Buhari to re-evaluate his obvious discomfort with the workings of a market economy and change; so that he can effectively lead the CHANGE agenda that he promised Nigerians. To the extent that the engine of wealth creation and poverty reduction is the private sector when enabled and not when crippled, this intervention is necessary to lend my voice to that of other concerned Nigerians.

CALL it a game of cat and mouse you will not be wrong. But it is a game where the mouse surprisingly appears to be having the upper hand, using a combination of guile and subterfuge to outsmart the bewildered cat. This is the story playing out between the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and petroleum products marketing companies in Nigeria.

For about four hours last Friday unknown gunmen seized Omoku, headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government area, shooting unchallenged and finally left in their trail about 25 corpses.

Even the dead weren’t safe from Boko Haram when the Islamist insurgency erupted in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri nearly seven years ago.

This is the concluding part of this piece which was first published January 18. A major focus of his development efforts appears to be infrastructure, especially the construction and rehabilitation of roads for which several projects were initiated

Trauma of losing loved ones, homes and means of livelihood to the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East of Nigeria, drove them to Lagos and now, they are going through a second round of trauma. They have been sent packing from their settlement in the Kirikiri industrial area of Lagos, close to Monkey Village. Recently, Vanguard Features, VF met one of the leaders of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Mr. Peter, and upon enquiring how they were faring, heard the most heart-rending response.

The memory of what happened in the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, December 17, 2015 will remain evergreen in the minds of many Lagosians for a very long time to come. It was the day set that Governor, Mr.Akinwunmi Ambode in a colourful ceremony, presented the 2016 budget to the state legislators.

Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, no doubt, is a uniting force, not only in Nigeria but also in the world. As a revered monarch, the retired Army General-turned king’s many contributions to national, continental and global peace must have been responsible for the loud ovation that rented the air at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria,recently, where he was installed Chancellor of the prestigious university.