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.