ON Wednesday, October 27, when this reporter hinted a Rivers State based military officer of his intention to travel to Abia State through the Port-Harcourt Aba Expressway, precisely the next day, Thursday, October 28, to find out how the Nigerian Army operations to flush out kidnappers from “God’s Own State” is progressing, he warned that any trip on the infamous expressway without military escort could be precarious.

ONE of the greatest desires of Lovette Emezu is to be a footballer. The dexterity with which the stocky 15-year-old handles a football leaves no one in doubt that she has all the makings of a budding star. Lovette, a JSS III student of High Achievers College, Ajegunle, could be said to be on the way towards realisation of this dream by virtue of the fact that she is currently one of the star players of her school’s female football team.

FOR members of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria in Ogun State, it is time for a showdown with the Ogun State Government over the latter’s unilateral and arbitrary increase in the fees and levies to be paid by the produce merchants.

LIKE every other farmer, Awalu Danasabe looks forward to the rainy season with great expectations because it affords him the opportunity of planting his crops.
But the Sokoto- born peasant farmer is singing a different song today.

MOST Nigerians have described the pattern of rainfall this year as unusual. What we have seen so far is a shorter period of rainfall but intensity has been quite high. Under normal weather conditions, Nigeria should have the wet and dry seasons. All parts of the country should be observing the dry season now.

THE Minister of Finance, Mr. Olusegun Aganga stirred the hornet’s nest through a circular addressed to the Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Managing Director of Global Scan Systems Limited, Chief Liaison Officer, SGS Nigeria Limited and Managing Director Cotecna Inspection Limited.

Creamy or firm when cooked, yams have an earthy, hardy taste and usually a minimal amount of sweetness. Although they are available throughout the year, their season runs from October through December when they are at their best.

When the arrears of military pensioners, talking about the 12.5% and the 15% increment in salaries of public servants were secured for ex-soldiers and officers by the Directorate of Military Pensions, it was thought that the hue and cry by military personnel who had clamoured for justice in this regard would be happy and give kudos not only to the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, but also to Brig Gen. Kwaji, the officer who mid-wifed release of the arrears.

GOING to Ayobo Ipaja for the burial of a fallen colleague last week, was like travelling to Golgotha. Although we were warned about the parlous state of the road, we did not bargain for what we went through. Put succinctly, the journey was akin to walking through the biblical valley of the shadow of death such that one wondered how residents of the area connect other parts of the city.

The doctors attached to the Centre for Gender Values and Culture who in the last three years had embarked on series of health care assistance to women and children in the predominantly riverine state after evaluating little Emmanuel case, who was then passing stool through a device inserted on his stomach, referred his case to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) where second and third surgical operations were carried out on him this year having lived without an anus for about a year