Man - eating Tiger kills two in Nepal

Authorities in Nepal have launched a hunt for a man-eating tiger that killed two women in a month and a half in areas near the country’s largest national park, officials said on Friday.

A team of 20 officials, including forest rangers and veterinarians, along with six elephants have been deployed in the dense forest of Chitwan National Park in south-central Nepal, Nurendra Aryal, the protected area’s official, told NAN.

We received a letter from the district forest office of Nawalparasi, which requested us to capture the animal after it killed two women in the area, Aryal said.

In mid-February, the tiger killed a 60-year-old woman, who was in the forest collecting fodder for her livestock.

Last week, the tiger pounced upon a 61-year-old woman in the same area, where she was also gathering fodder.

Aryal said the team hadn’t been able to capture the big cat despite placing two calves in its habitat as prey; the animal has also killed dozens of livestock in the area.

Human-wild animal conflict has significantly increased in recent years in Nepal, home to 200 endangered Royal Bengal tigers.

In early February, police shot dead a wild tiger after it injured nine people, including four policemen, near a national park in south-western Nepal. 

(NAN)

Meningitis kills one affect four in Jigawa state

The Jigawa Government says meningitis has killed one person and infected four others in four local government areas of the state.

Dr Muhammad Kainuwa, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, confirmed this to newsmen in Dutse on Thursday. Kainuwa said that five suspected cases of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) were reported to the ministry.

He explained that two of the cases were recorded in Gwaram Local Government Area, while one each was reported from Kirikasamma, Kiyawa and Maigatari Local Government Areas.

The permanent secretary added that a 13-year-old boy lost his life to the disease in one of the cases recorded in Gwaram.

According to him, the four infected persons had already been treated.

As of today, five suspected cases were reported in Kiyawa, Kirikasamma, Gwaram and Maigatari local government areas.

In Gwaram, there were two cases where a 13-year-old boy lost his life.

And all cases reported were investigated using standard operation procedures and specimens were taken also where one was found to be positive, he said.

Kainuwa also said that the ministry had contacted the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) for vaccines.

The major challenge is the non-availability of the vaccines.

But as soon as the Federal Government made available the vaccines, we will immunise the affected communities, said Kainuwa.

He added that the ministry had mobilised its Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all the local government areas in order to combat the menace.

Besides, the permanent secretary said that as part of measures to prevent further spread of CSM, the ministry is also collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for proper documentation of the disease.

We have also increased our surveillance in collaboration with WHO particularly in Maigatari which is along the Nigeria/Niger border.

The WHO is also providing more investigative kits, the state government has also reactivated the Port Health facility in Maigatari.

Also, we’ve already commenced creating awareness across the state so that people will able to prevent themselves from getting infected and also quickly bring to hospital anyone that has the symptoms.

We also use jingles in radio stations in the state so as to reach to the populace, the permanent secretary said.

Kainuwa, therefore, advised residents to take precautions against the disease and make sure that they do not sleep in unventilated and crowded rooms.

Why is local rice scarce in the market in spite of bumper harvests? ----Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com Survey

States in the north-eastern part of the country, still struggling to recover from the devastating effects of Boko Haram insurgency, are recording bumper harvests in rice cultivation.

 In a recent survey by Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com rice farmers, millers and dealers attributed the development to the pragmatic agricultural policies put in place by the Federal Government.

 They also ascribed the development to the positive lessons learnt from harrowing situation brought about by the economic recession in the country.

 They observed that apart from the enhanced patronage of local rice, which had boosted the economic status of rice farmers, the price of the produce had stabilised and might even fall drastically due to massive production.

 Alhaji Baba Kaye, Chairman Rice Dealers Association in Gombe State, noted that the intervention of the Federal Government had stabilized the price of rice for some time now.

 The price has remained stable without fluctuating; we are grateful to the Federal Government for encouraging dry season farming and this has impacted positively on us,’’ he said.

 Alhaji Tasiu Kuri, a rice farmer in Kuri village of Gombe State, attributed the increase in rice production to the decision of Federal Government to ban the importation of foreign rice through the country’s land borders.

 Dr Yahaya Yusuf, Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Bauchi State, projected that the state alone would cultivate about one million tonnes of rice in 2017, as against the 600,000 tonnes it cultivated in 2016.

 Alhaji Musa Takari, a rice farmer in Gashua, Yobe, said that the ban on importation of rice had also provoked an increase in the consumption of local rice, thereby triggering massive production.

 Before now, the market has been very bad and discouraging but the increased patronage has made us to produce more rice,” he said.

 The story has been similar in other parts of the country, as there has been dramatic increase in quantity of rice produced by rice farmers across the country.

In Abakaliki, for instance, the state government said that it had met the target of producing 350,000 tonnes of rice, which it set for the 2016 farming season.

 The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Uchenna Orji told NAN in Abakaliki, that the state was able to achieve that feat because the state government invested massively in rice production in 2016.

 He stressed that the government’s determination to revolutionalise rice production in Ebonyi was due to its comparative advantage over other states in the area of rice farming.

 Orji said that efforts were underway to ensure that Ebonyi reclaimed its position as the highest rice producing state in West Africa.

 In spite of the claims on massive production of rice across the country, Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com observed that the rice milling capacities of the states differed and this, coupled with the different distribution patterns, could explain the scarcity of local rice in the markets.

 In Sokoto State, the rice millers, however, said that they were producing below capacity.Malam Nura Attajiri, the Chairman, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Rice Millers Association in the state, said that the rice millers produced only about 150 tonnes per annum.

 His words: “Although there are 255 millers, with machines having installed capacity of producing about 350 tonnes of milled rice per annum, in the state, their output is just about 150 tonnes per annum.

 This shortfall is caused by the various challenges facing the millers; these include poor electricity supply and inadequate funds to procure paddy for processing, among others.

 As such, we have been campaigning and looking into how the state government and other relevant agencies can boost the rice production capacity of millers through various intervention programmes.

 Moreover, the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, launched in Kebbi State, did not include SME millers but only integrated millers, while Sokoto State has no integrated millers.

 Although the state government is putting in more efforts to assist us to improve production, we need more government intervention, particularly in the area of rice processing.”

However, the zonal chapter of RIFAN in Daura, Katsina State, said that the absence of rice milling plants in Daura had been a major limitation to efforts to produce rice.

 Alhaji Nura Baure, the zonal Chairman of the association, said that although there were rice milling plants in Batagarawa and Funtua, “those areas are very far from our farmers and the transportation cost is a burden to our farmers.

 I don’t even know the capacity of those rice milling plants,’’ he added.

 Baure, nonetheless, said that there was a subsisting agreement between the association and an off-taker company, ZIL Nigeria Ltd. that rice produced in the Daura and its environs would be milled by the company.

 In Port Harcourt, Dr Awotien George of Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environment, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt, said that the few rice mills in the state were non-functional.

 He recalled that the dearth of functional rice mills in the state compelled Port Harcourt Glorious Cooperative Society to transport the rice, which was produced during 2016 planting season, to Ebonyi for milling.

 He, therefore, urged the state government to be actively involved in agricultural production.

 All the same, plans are underway by the Adamawa Government to establish three giant rice milling centres in the state, according to Dr Umar Bindir, Chairman, State Project Management Team of Anchor Borrowers Programme.

 He said that the state government, through its agency, Agricultural Development and Investment Ltd., had concluded arrangements to establish the rice milling centres.

 Bindir, who is also the Secretary to Adamawa Government, said that the centres would also serve as marketing boards, which would purchase paddy directly from farmers before processing it and selling it to consumers across the country.

 Nevertheless, Mr Abbo Jiddere, the state AFAN Chairman, said that the association was consulting with other stakeholders on how to establish rice mills in the state.

 The situation is somewhat different in Kebbi, a major rice producing state in the country, as the state is home to large rice mills such as WACOT Rice Mill and Labana Rice Mill.

Alhaji Abdullahi Zuru, the General Manager of Labana Rice Mill, said that the mill, which was established at the cost of N5 billion, had the capacity to process and package 16 tonnes of rice within an hour.

 He said that the mill, which had 2,000 employees, had three different means of obtaining paddy.

 Zuru said that the mill acquired paddy from 6,000 rice farmers and 3,000 farmers who were registered with the CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme, as well as paddy merchants from other states and countries like Benin Republic, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso.

 Labana Rice Mill has a well-established distribution chain, from the factory to major towns in the state like Birnin Kebbi, Zuru, Yauri, Argungu, and towns in other states such as Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Sokoto, Gusau, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Aba,’’ he said.

 Zuru said that Labana Rice Mill had played a prominent role in the success of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) existing between Lagos and Kebbi States with regard to the processing and packaging of “Lake Rice.’’

 Labana Rice Mill has processed and packaged over 2,000 tonnes of `Lake Rice’, which had been supplied to Lagos State, as part of the MoU,’’ he said.

 As regards “Lake Rice’’ – the product of the joint venture between Lagos and Kebbi states, some residents of Lagos State, however, complained about its scarcity in the market.

 For instance, Mrs Temitope Ajayi, a resident of the Abule-Egba area of the state, said that she had not heard of the rice sales or anybody buying the commodity since early January.

 She said that the rice was not in the market, adding that those, who were able to buy “Lake Rice’’ in December, however, admitted that its quality was good.

 However, Mr Sanni Okanlawan, Special Adviser on Food Security to Gov. Akinwumi Ambode, told our correspondent that Lagos State Government still had enough consignment of “Lake Rice’’ for distribution to interested members of the public, out of the stock that was produced last December.

 He said that more distribution centres would be opened so as to ensure that the commodity was available to more Lagos residents.

 The special adviser said that part of the rice, which was delivered to Lagos State in December, was still stocked at the Imota Mill Plant.

 Okanlawon said that at intervals, the rice would be distributed to centres across the state’s local government areas where people could buy it at the price of N12,000 per 50kg bag and N6,000 per 25kg bag.

 He said: “`Lake Rice’ is still available at our 2.5-metric-ton rice milling plant in Imota, from the December consignment from our partner state, Kebbi.’’

 All the same, Malam Manu Sandamu, an agricultural extension officer in Daura, Katsina State, bemoaned the absence of regulated channels of rice distribution between farmers, millers, marketers and consumers across the country.

 Definitely, there is increasing patronage for our local rice but that, in essence, means that the rice distribution chain should no longer rely on patchwork methods,’’ he added. 

FG to ensure adequate food safety

The Federal Government says it is currently pushing for a food safety and quality bill, that seeks a healthier approach towards handling Nigerian foods for local consumption and exportation.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire stated this at a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Safety (IMCFS) on Thursday in Abuja.

Ehanire said that the Inter-Ministerial meeting was to help reduce the challenges of food borne illnesses facing the country as well as to reduce the rejection of Nigerian food products being exported.

The Minister noted that the implementation strategy was produced with inputs from stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Food is a very essential component to the body, but sometime food can be hazardous to the health due to the process in which it has been produced.

Global burden of food diseases show almost one in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food and 420, 000 people die as a result it.

The point of the strategy is to help reduce the challenge of food borne illnesses facing the country as well as cut down the rejection of Nigerian export produce.

Children under five years of age are particularly at a higher risk, with 125 000 children dying from food borne disease yearly. Africa and South-East Asia are the hardest hit.

He also said that food safety practices in Nigeria hold the key to the availability of safe and suitable food.

The minister pointed out that food safety would create public health awareness as well as related trade and economic benefits.

There is need to establish food standard in the country starting with checking the kind of fertilizers, soil, seedlings, and chemicals used for pest and weed control in the cultivation processes.

Hygiene is a major consideration when talking about food.”

Ehanire said that the inter-ministerial committee would ensure the policy document presented gets Federal Executive Council’s approval for onward pushing to the Legislature for legal backing.

On his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh expressed ‎worry over the unhealthy packaging of food that causes ailments and the rejection of food products in the foreign market.

He said that the foreigners who buy our food products wanted to know the source of the food,‎ how it was produced and they were talking of trace ability of our food.

For instance, what chemicals do we use to preserve them ? Are they applied in the right quantity? These are issues the inter-ministerial committee would be working on.

Sometimes also,our smoked fish arrive EU markets and they find maggots in them, because we did not smoke them well.

These are issues we are addressing and once we sort all these issues out, we would reach out to our foreign partners to improve trade.

‎Speaking further on rising concern of ailments and unhealthy food consumption, Ogbe said,”one sick Nigerian is a loss to the nation’s economy and well being.

It is always a pain seeing Nigerians on television, soliciting for N10 million to go to India for kidney disease.

The UNIDO lead Technical Adviser, Dr Hussaini Shaukat, said that UNIDO would assist Nigeria to develop safe foods.

When the quality is certified and the quantity is certified, what is remaining element is safety and we are here to work on the safety element. He said.

Shaudat noted that in the nearest future, Nigerian products would be accepted globally.

Vegetation, cultural endowment and communications of Igala people:

 
The Igalas have an unusually and richly endowed environment. They are within the"middle-belt" of Nigeria which has an advantage of the climate of the drier Savannah vegetation to the north and the wet forest regions to the south.

The area lies within the warm humid climatic zone of Nigeria. There is a distinctive wet-dry season dichotomy. The wet season lasts from about April to the end of September or early October while the dry season lasts from about October to about the end of March or early April. Rainfall can be heavy and the effects of the harmattan can be severe, especially from about November.          

The area has an average rain fall of about 50” a year. The lowland riverine areas are flooded seasonally, making it possible for the growing of paddy rice and controlled fish farming inponds that are owned on individual or clan basis.  The lbaji area is the major place awashed by flood. This makes the area very fertile soil more than other place in the land: "The receding floods leave behind a large quantity of fish in ponds and lakes. This facts, plays an important role in the economic and social lives of the people,"

Simply put, the vegetation is mainly deciduous, with the major rivers (Benue and Niger), a few minor ones such as Okula, Ofu, Imabolo, Ubele, Adale, Ogbagana, and many streams in the land. Hence, is Igalaland popularly known as a blessed fishing and arable region. 

The most common economic trees are palm trees (ekpe), locust beans (okpehie).mahogany (ago), iroko (uloko), whitewood (uwewe) and raffia palms (ugala). Common plantations are of okra (oro..-aikpele), cashew (agala), banana (ogede). Some of the economic trees mentioned here provide timber for the people and for sale. In the forest regions were also found certain wild animals, such lions (idu), hyenas (olinya), leopards (omolalna or eje), elephants (adagba), bush-pigs (ehi), chimpanzee (ukabu). etc.

This favorable vegetation makes farming and hunting highly profitable. Thus. 90% of the population. practice farming.  Both forest and savannah crops thrive on Igala soil very well. Thus, the main forest crops produced are: yams, cassava, maize, melon and groundnut.  And theyproduce such savannah cereals as guinea corn. beans. millet and benniseed.  However, due to theshifting cultivation being practiced, bush burning and felling of trees, a good proportion of the forest is being gradually destroyed and wild animals are fast becoming extinct.

Igalaland is blessed with rich natural resources.  In the south are swamps where crude oil was prospected some years ago. It is generally believed that oil was discovered at Alade and Odolu. IS The Okabba (Adagio) coalmine is close to Ankpa in the north.  The country has benefitted from the coalmine since 1967.

There are many roads in the area. The main ones are Anyigba-ldah, Anyigba-Ankpa,Anyigba-Shintaku. Those of Anyigba-Ajaokuta, Ankpa-Otukpo, Otukpa, Ankpa-Ogobia. Idah•Nsukka and Ejule-Otukpa link the land with neighboring states. Good waterways are possible between Idah-Agenebode-Onitsha and the Shintaku-Lokoja axis of River Niger. These waterways have served as veritable means of transport in the recent past. It encouraged social and economic interactions.

Today, Igala land does not possess any airport. However, air travelers make use of Ajaokuta Steel Company's airstrip. The Itobe-Ajaokuta Bridge constructed about two decades ago on the River Niger has also turned out to be of tremendous benefit as it has enhanced intra and inter-state links and commercial transactions. 

Celebration of Cultural Festivals

The Nigerian is a happy being. He may weep profusely and somersault in the face of adversity, but it is amazing how he quickly bounces back with zest and energy. To him, sorrow, pains, and tears are only a passing show. With his optimistic spirit, the typical Nigerian believes that God Almighty, his ancestors, or some other things that he worships are busy working out a better tomorrow for him.

In churches, mosques, temples, shrines, and other fora, many Nigerians share experiences and give testimonies of how they have witnessed devil being driven out of a person, seen ancestral spirits, charms, and amulets provide solutions to stubborn problems, and personally received divine healing, protection, and guidance in facing daily challenges.

This, lends credence to the general belief that Nigerians are among the most religious people on earth. Religion, itself, exists to help man find God, love, and happiness; and to help develop in man the virtues of chastity, forgiveness, detachment, humility, justice, faith, patience, and contentment. But many Nigerians are more interested in the primordial elements of religion which include metaphysical speculations, superstitious assumptions, emotional extravaganzas, and ritualistic celebrations.

Nevertheless, the Nigerian accepts whatever life dishes out to him as an act of fate and lives the spiritual principle of gratitude and thanksgiving. He thanks God for the good, the bad, and the ugly. To him, the gift of life alone offers enough reason for celebration. His desire to organize a party and celebrate is not a function of his bank account. He can sell his piece of land or any property for a celebration. He can take a loan for a celebration. And paradoxically, he can be vicious in the process of raising funds for celebration despite his religious disposition.

But what does he celebrate? Like others across the world, he celebrates the birth of a child, weddings, birthday anniversaries, national days, burial ceremonies, the New Year, and remarkable successes. But the average Nigerian is voluble, proud, flamboyant, and vibrant. So he makes an extra-ordinary show with celebrations. He holds the burial ceremonies of his loved ones such as father and mother several times. And each burial ceremony lasts for days, weeks, or even months. For a marriage, there is the traditional wedding ceremony and then the “white” wedding bash. Whether traditional marriage or white wedding, the celebration also lasts for unimaginable period involving extended family members, friends and well wishers. The story is the same for birth day anniversaries and the other events.

Traditionally, the various ethnic nationalities that constitute the country have several festivals which they celebrate annually. The Ogba people of Rivers State have about five major festivals which they celebrate annually. They include Ebiam, Egwu-iji Onube, Igba-Ogwe, Egwu-Ohali, and Nchaka which is the most celebrated by the people of the Kingdom. As the major occupations of the people are farming and fishing, the festivals are observed to show gratitude to God for fertility, cleansing, and protection and to mark the end of the planting or harvesting season.

In Kebbi State, the most popular festival celebrated annually to offer prayers and sacrifices to the gods for abundance of rainfall, successful harvest and fertility is the famous Argungu Su. The festival popularly known as Argungu fishing festival is held in the month of February each year.

In Sokoto State, some of the festivals celebrated by the people are the Golmo, Uhala and Shan Gumba, which are exclusive to butchers; others are the Dibedi, Sharo, and Shara or Ashura festivals. The festivals are marked with dancing, singing, and in the case of Sharo, flogging among bachelors to determine their eligibility into the matrimonial life.

In Kogi State, there are the Ocho and Ogaganyi, Ogani, Ujo and Ote Igbegwu festivals. Both the Ocho and Ote Igbegwu festivals are celebrated to herald the coming of the dry season. But while the Ocho is a royal festival the Ote Igbegwu festival is an occupational celebration for the Igala people.

Among the Ibos, there are the Ahiajoku, Ozuruimo, Oji Ezinihitte, Omune, and Ikeji Aro celebrated by the people of Imo, and Abia States. The new yam festival associated with Ahiajoku is the greatest of Ibo festivals. This is because the Ibos regard yam as the King of crops.

Cross River and Akwa Ibom states celebrate New Yam, Fattening, Etu, and Ntam festivals. While the Fattening festival is celebrated to mark the transitional period between maidenhood and womanhood, Etu and Ntam are wrestling and religious ceremonies respectively. The Ntam festival is celebrated by the people to banish misfortunes, sickness, and epidemics.

The Yorubas, very well known for elaborate celebrations stage numerous festivals annually, some of which are Adamu – Orisa play (otherwise known as Eyo festival), Igunnuko, Meboi, Zangbeto, Agbo, Kilajolu, Odun-Ela (Isa Tutu), and Jigbo. The festivals are associated with funeral obsequies, planting and harvesting of crops, and prayers to forestall outbreak of wars and diseases and also to usher in peace and harmony among the people and their neighbours.

Enugu Trade Fair: Job seekers throng fair ground

Hundreds job-seeking artisans in Enugu and neighboring states have thronged the Enugu International Trade Fair ahead of the commencement of the 28 Enugu International Trade on Friday.

Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com reports that most of the artisans spotted at the Permanent Trade Fair Complex include; carpenters, decorators, painters and electricians among others.

A carpenter, Mr John Odo, told our correspondent that most of his colleagues had been contracted to build wooden exhibition stands at the fair ground.

I got some jobs which I am billed to finish before 10 a.m. on Friday, the opening of the fair.

I have called some of my colleagues to take up some of the jobs I rejected due to lack of time,’’ Odo said.

A painter, Mr Godswill Onyekachi, said that he had not rested for two days so that he could deliver various painting contracts he collected at the fair ground.

As you can see, my apprentices and I are so busy and it is likely we will pass the night here to meet our contractual targets,’’ Onyekachi said.

A decorator, Mr Obinna Amadi, noted that more exhibitors and exhibiting companies had taken to interior and exterior decoration of their stands to attract more customers.

I have observed that we have more jobs in this up-coming fair than previous years.

This development he said showed that Nigerians as well as companies participating in the fair appreciated the aesthetics- colour interior and exterior decoration- added to their stands at the fair,’’ Amadi said.

Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com reports that the 28 Enugu International Trade Fair, which has been scheduled between March 31 and April 10, is organised by Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA).

The theme of the fair is, “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy’’.

Government should promote Vernacular

The  world  over  societies  exist  with  divergent  ethnic  and  linguistic  groups,  therefore  most societies  are  multilingual.

Most  African  languages  are  alive  and  well linguistically  speaking,  and  also,  a  number  of  African  languages now  have  a  stronger  socio-political  standing  than  they  did  two  decades  ago  and  these languages  (Yoruba,  Hausa  and  Igbo  in  Nigeria,  Setswana  in  Botswana,  Kiswahili  in  Tanzania and  Kenya,  Wolof  in  Senegal,  Bambara  in  Mali  and  Bamileke  in  Ivory  Cost  among  others) have  gained  ground  against  the  exogenous  languages  (the  

European  official  languages  e.g. English  and  French). 

This  success is  due  to  the  great  awareness  through research  and  enlightenment  going  on  in  Africa,  and  of  the  UNESCO  funding  facilities  and  the interest  of  the  world  linguists  and  social/scientists  in  the  African  linguistic  situation.

The  few  monolingual  or  bilingual  countries  in  Africa,  such  as  Somalia,  Burundi,  Rwanda, have  found  it  relatively  easy  to  promote  either  a  single  or  a  few  interrelated  languages  to national  status  within  education.

In  Nigeria,  three  principal  languages  and  other  languages  of  state  importance  are  recognized but  English  occupies  the  prominent  position  as  the  official  language,  language  of  education, judiciary  and  higher  commerce.

The  three  major  languages  are  Hausa,  Yoruba  and  Igbo,  each spoken  by  more  than  40  million  speakers.  These  are  followed  by  languages  of  local importance,  which  are  equally  useful  in  their  respective  states.  Languages  in  this  category include  Edo,  Efik,  Kanuri,  Tiv,  Urhobo,  Fulfude,  Igala,  Nupe,  Ijo,  Isekiri,  Ebira,  Annang, Gwari,  etc.  The  last  category  is  the  languages  that  are  very  small  and  are  only  useful  in  their respective  communities.  These are  what  some  scholars  regard  as  minority  languages.

Vernacularization  is  the  restoration  or  elaboration  of  an  indigenous  language  and  its  adoption as  official  language,  e.g.  Hebrew in  Israel  and  tagalog  in  Philippines.  Internationalization  is the  adoption  of  a  non-indigenous  language  of  wider  communication  either  as  an  official language  or  for  such  purposes  as  education  or  trade.  This is  the  situation  in  most  African nations  like  Nigeria.

Governments  at  the center, state  and  local  levels  should  ensure  the  implementation  of  the  mother tongue  instruction  in  early  classes  of  the  primary  school  by  providing  equipment  and  aids  that will  facilitate  effective  implementation.

Effective  monitoring  measures  should  also  be  put  in  place  through  supervision  by  the Principals, Head teachers  and  officials  of  the  Education  Departments  of  State  and  Local  Governments.

Sokoto Assembly to support speedy passage of “Not too young to run” bill- Speaker

Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, said on Thursday that the house would lend its support towards the speedy passage of the “Not too Young to Run”  bill of the National Assembly.

naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com reports that Maidaji gave the assurance when he received members of ”Not too Young to Run” Campaign group at the State House of Assembly.

He said that when the bill is passed, about 60 per cent of the Nigerian population would be eligible to contest various elective positions in the country.

“It will bring about a healthy competition between various age groups, thereby giving the electorate, a wider range of choices for better candidates to emerge and move the country forward.

“This will also reduce youth restiveness as they will now fight for themselves as candidates, rather than being sponsored to cause political violence to protect the interest of other politicians who do not mean well for the country.

“Moreover, it provides an opportunity for the youths to harness and develop their potentialities in politics,” he said.

Maidaji called on all other state Assemblies in the country, to support the bill to widen the horizon of democracy in the country.

Earlier in his remarks, the state Coordinator of the group, Mr. Yakubu Abubakar, said the visit was to show their support for bill that would involvement of youth in the political process.

He thanked the lawmakers for hosting the group and commended them for ensuring passage of bills aimed at improving the living standard of youth in the state.

Court okays release, launch of Nollywood film, “Okafor’s Law”

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday vacated an interim order which restrained the premiering and release of Nollywood movie, “Okafor’s Law.”

“Okafor’s Law” is a film Produced by actress and Director, Omoni Oboli.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Justice Ibrahim Buba had on March 24, granted an interim order, stopping the premiere of “Okafor’s Law” scheduled to hold on the evening of same day.

The exparte order had consequently halted the premiere of “Okafor’s Law” at the IMAX Cinema in Lagos, as well as suspending its planned release on March 31.

The judge had issued the orders, following an exparte motion filed by a company Raconteur Production Ltd, on behalf of a Canada based script writer, Mr Jude Idada, seeking same reliefs.

Joined as defendants in the suit are: Dioni Visions Entertainment Ltd, Omoni Oboli and The Filmone Ltd.

In a short ruling, Justice Ibrahim Buba vacated the interim orders, and paved way for the release and launch of the film, after entertaining arguments from both counsel to the plaintiff and defendants.

Buba held: ” The court shall resist the temptation of making any pronouncement on the substance of the matter at this interlocutory stage.

“Suffice to say that surely what is exhibited by the plaintiff is a script “The Bet” and not “Okafor’s Law’’ and so this court has no doubt that the plaintiff/applicant cannot sustain this application.

“Even though the applicant moved the court to granting an order exparte, thank God the side of the defendant is heard.

“I do not think that on the face of the counter affidavit, this court will exercise it’s discretion both judicially and judiciously in granting the motion for interlocutory injunction.

“This court is unable to grant the interlocutory orders sought by the applicant; the prayer is hereby refused and the interim orders made on the 24th day of March is accordingly vacated.”

Earlier, arguing for the grant of an interlocutory injunction, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr A.K. Oragu,  urged the court to grant the orders as prayed on the grounds that there was need to establish the legal rights of the plaintiff.

According to Oragu, Section 51 of the Copyrights Act, clearly establishes the right of the plaintiff, adding that the plaintiff had an assignment with respect to the script in question.

He argued that under the Act, an author is the owner of the copyright, adding that the “art work” in respect to the movie “Okafor’s Law”, belonged to Jude Idada, who later assigned same.

He submitted that the movie industry was the eye of morality, adding that if the movie “Okafor’s Law” is allowed to be launched in the wrong name, then the entire process is wrong.

He urged the court to grant the interlocutory orders.

Responding to the application, counsel for the defendant, Mr Augustine Alegeh (SAN), urged the court to refuse the application for interlocutory injunction.

Alegeh argued that the applicant seeks to stop the premiere of an already completed film, “Okafor’s Law” whereas, his challenged is based on a script titled “The Bet”.

He argued that the script was clearly different from the movie.

He recounted the various losses suffered by the defendant as a result of the court’s order, which led to a failed premiere of the movie on March 24.

He added that guests including children, were already seated at the Cinema, but were disappointed to hear about the injunction.

He urged the court to allow the scheduled release of the movie billed for March 31 (tomorrow), adding that where such grant was found to have been undeserving, then the various damages sought by the plaintiff would suffice.

Alegeh urged the court to vacate the interim orders and grant his prayer.

The court has fixed April 3 for hearing of the new suit.

NAN reports that Idada lays claim to the film “Okafor’s Law” as his intellectual property and had accused Oboli of copyright infringement.

He adds that she had stolen his story idea for the movie in September 2016, adding that Oboli took the work he had done regarding “Okafor’s Law”, and developed it without giving him due credit.

He avers that the producer went ahead to set March 31, as a release date for the movie, inspite of a demand letter sent to her, as well as a copyright infringement suit instituted.

In a counter affidavit,  Tomi  Adeoye on behalf of Dioni Visions Ltd   avers that sometime in 2014, the second defendant (Omoni Oboli) came up with the story idea of “Okafor’s Law”.

Adeoye explains that “Okafor’s Law” was a principle in which ex-lovers could always rekindle their love or relationship, even after they are married to other partners.

The deponent says  that in accordance with Nigerian Law, both Oboli and her company (Dioni Visions) proceeded to register the film with the National film and Video Censor Board.

Adeoye says that having secured their legal right to the said film, they contracted Jude Idada to write the screen play for a fee of N750,000 although no written contract was executed.

According to the deponent, Oboli later had a meeting with Idada, where she revealed to him the story idea and concept of “Okafor’s Law”, to enable him have a good grasp of the subject for a proper development of the screen play.

Adeoye says that when Idada was contacted thereafter, he claimed that the work he had done on the film was lost when his computer was stolen in Uganda, and promised to re-write the screenplay.

The deponent states that when several attempts to reach Idada for the script failed, they decided to write the screen play and thereafter produce the movie “Okafor’s Law.’’

Adeoye  therefore, avers that Jude Idada was not the owner of the story and idea of “Okafor’s Law’’, and does not posses any copyright in respect of same.

NAN reports that “Okafor’s Law” features: Richard Mofe Damijo, Toyin Aimakhu, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ken Erics, Yvonne Jegede, Halima Abubakar, Gabriel Afolayan, Funke Bucknor among other nollywood actors and actresses.

Oboli is a popular Nollywood Producer, actress, Director and script writer.

 (NAN)