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Albert Einstein

2017 Australian Open: Serena Williams beats Venus Williams to set a New Grand Slam record

Serena Williams beat sister Venus in straight sets to win her
seventh Australian Open and an Open-era record 23rd Grand
Slam singles title.
Serena, 35, won 6-4 6-4 to pass Steffi Graf in the all-time list of
major winners since the Grand Slams accepted professional
players in 1968.
The American regains the number one ranking from German
Angelique Kerber.
Australia's Margaret Court is the only player still ahead of Serena
in terms of Grand Slam singles titles on 24.
Serena Williams went into the match as a strong favourite, but the
tension was apparent as early as the third game when she
smashed a racquet in frustration, picking up a code violation.
She had broken serve in the first and third games only to hand
the advantage straight back each time, three double faults
inexplicably littering a desperate game for 2-2.
All-time Grand Slam singles titles leaders
24 (1960-1973) - Margaret
Court (Aus)
19 (1923-1938) - Helen Wills
Moody (US)
23 (1999-present) - Serena
Williams (US)
18 (1974-1986) - Chris Evert
(US)
22 (1987-1999) - Steffi Graf
(Ger)
18 (1978-1990) - Martina
Navratilova (US)
It was clear that the six-time champion was struggling to settle,
with 13 unforced errors in the opening five games, while elder
sister Venus kept her under pressure with some deep hitting.
The decisive move of the set came with a superb drop volley
followed by a thumping forehand winner from Serena to break for
4-3, and this time she managed to consolidate on serve.
In contrast to the opening stages, the following nine games went
with serve - Venus recovering superbly from 0-40 early in the
second set - but it was Serena who was creating the chances.
She finally capitalised on her sixth break point of the set with a
brilliant return winner to lead 4-3 and followed it up with her best
service game of the match for 5-3.
The crowd on Rod Laver Arena had been backing Venus from the
beginning as she tried to win a first major title for eight years,
and all the more so as defeat loomed and she appeared to
struggle physically.
There was a huge cheer when she held serve to force her sister
to serve out the match, but Serena recovered from 15-30 to earn
match point and fell back on the court in celebration as her sister
sent the ball floating wide.

"Doomsday asteroid will hit Earth on February 16" – astronomer warns, blasts NASA for hiding information

- Dyomin Damir Zakharovich, claims that the object detected by
the NASA will hit the Earth
- According to Mysterious Universe, the deathly hit is going to
take place on February 16
- He also said that NASA probably knows the impact zone.

The self-styled astronomer Dyomin Damir Zakharovich, claims
that the object at the edge of our solar system detected by the
NASA will hit the Earth, and it’s part of the mysterious death
planet Nibiru.
According to Mysterious Universe the deathly hit is going to take
place on February 16, when a massive space rock will hit Earth –
followed by the death of the planet itself.
Zakharovich says : “NASA is lying through its teeth. It is not
conceivable that they do not know the truth. We have seen the
data! the object they call WF9 left the Nibiru system in October
when Nibiru began spinning counter clockwise around the sun.
Since then, NASA has known it will hit Earth. But they are only
telling people now.”
Even there’s no scientific evidence Nibiru even exists Zakharovich
said that the alleged event will be just a a precursor to the
damage Nibiru will cause when it gets to the Earth.
He also said that NASA probably knows the impact zone.
‘The object is larger than NASA says. Our preliminary data
suggested a 2.2km asteroid that will have no problem
penetrating the atmosphere without burning up,” explain
Zakharovich.
He claims it will destroy a city or cause huge tsunamis – and
then Nibiru itself will arrive, and God knows what will happen.
The object called 2016 WF9 was detected by the NEOWISE
project on Nov. 27, 2016.
It might once have been a comet, or it could have strayed from a
population of dark objects in the main asteroid belt – but it’s not
thought to pose a threat to Earth.
2016 WF9 will approach Earth’s orbit on Feb. 25, 2017.

2017 Australian open: Venus and Serena Williams to meet in ninth Grand Slam final

It was in 2009 that 36-year-old Venus last made it to a final, but
she produced a mouthwatering performance in the semi-final of
the 2017 Australian open beating fellow American Coco
Vandeweghe 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-3.
On the other hand, Serena, 35, beat unseeded Croat Mirjana
Lucic-Baroni 6-2 6-1 in the second semi-final played in
Melbourne.
It would also be a seventh Australian Open victory for the
younger Williams sister, while Venus hopes to win an eighth major
title, first in Melbourne and first since Wimbledon in 2008.
The two American sisters will face each other in the Grand Slam
final on Saturday, January 28, 2017 and it will be the first time
since Wimbledon 2009 when Serena won in straight sets.

Diego Maradona reveals his biggest career mistake

Former Argentina coach and arguably the world's greatest player
Diego Maradona has revealed the worst mistake he made in his
career.

Former Argentina coach Diego Maradona

The 56-year-old man stated that his biggest mistake he made
was being addicted to bad substance and he is now showing
remorse for his wrong acts.
Maradona who had an exceptional but controversial playing career stressed that he
was very lucky not to have died long time ago.
“I was 24 when I started taking bad substance. I was at
Barcelona. It’s the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.
“My daughter asked me to live for her when I was in a coma. I
thank God because he woke me up and listened to my daughter.
“Women, money the biggest problem? The biggest problem is
substance and it kills. I have the great fortune of being here
talking to you. If I continued to take them, I’d have died no
doubt. “For 13 years, I haven’t taken anything and I feel great.”
Maradona explained.
Maradona became coach of Argentina in November 2008 and he
was in charge of the team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa
before leaving at the end of the tournament. He also coached
Dubai-based club Al Wasl in the UAE Pro-League for the 2011–
12 season.

BREAKING: Fresh photo proves President Buhari is alive and well in the United kingdom

A fresh photo of President Muhammdu Buhari enjoying his
vacation in the United Kindgom has just been released.

A healthy-looking President Buhari chatting with Aisha Alubankudi
and Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
The photo was posted on Friday, January 27 evening by a
Facebook user Aishat Alubankudi on her page after a meeting
with Nigeria's number one citizen.
She wrote a short statement to accompany the picture which
also showed Ogun state governor Ibikunle Amosun, a close ally
of the president's, sitting relaxed in a chair across from the
commander-in-chief.
Alubankudi is a Nigerian socialite and blogger based in the UK
and a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari.
She also posted a short comment to accompany the photo she
released in which she asked for God's forgiveness for all those
saying the president had died.
She wrote: "Photo of PMB today. May Allah forgive those who
claimed that he was on life support machine at Kings College
Hospital. Baba dariji won nitori won o mo oun ti won nse
(someone translate)."
This is the second picture evidence that the president is indeed
alive and well in the last three days after presidency released a
picture of the President watching Channels TV's Sunday Politics
night show on Monday, January 23..
Recall that rumours of President Buhari's alleged dead began at
the weekend but the presidency was quick to quash it with a
statement from the president's spokesman Garba Shehu.
The disturbing report has first been broken by an alleged fake
Metro (UK) site that "quoted" the Nigerian mission in the country
as confirming the president’s death.
The report claimed that Buhari visited the UK for medical check
over an unknown disease.

Why Buhari cannot solve Nigeria's problem - Balarabe Musa speaks

- Balarabe Musa has said Buhari cannot solve Nigeria's problems
- The elder statesman says the president is not radical enough to
tackle the nation's issues
- He then advised the president to begin the process of social
reconstruction
Balarabe Musa
Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa is the former governor of Kaduna state
during the Nigerian second republic.
The elder statesman had initially refused to comment on the
state of the nation, however in a recent interview with Vanguard,
he complained about Buhari's ability to solve Nigeria's problems.
He said: “The president is just like his predecessor. I ask you
what is the remarkable difference between him and his
predecessor. No fundamental difference.
"They all believe in the system based on self interest first, while
public interest comes after their own interest is served. He is not
radical enough to deal with the situation in Nigeria."
Mr Musa accused the current government of conceding its
leading role in economy to the private sector and then letting the
private sector determine what goes on, adding that this will lead
the country to nowhere.
He explained: “Let us decide first what is the root cause of the
problem of the economy. The root cause is the leading role of
the private sector as opposed to the leading role of the state in
the economy to ensure, peace, equality, justice, dignity of the
human person and the progressive development of the country.
"Unless the leading role of the state is right, we cannot get things
right. With our experience over the years, the only viable solution
to the state of the nation is socialist reconstruction of Nigeria
starting with the leading role of the state in the economy.
"At the moment, the choice of the President and the Senate
President is that the leading role of the economy is that of the
Private sector which is wrong. As long as we continue with this,
we will get no where.
In conclusion, the former governor advised Buhari to immediately
embark on social reconstruction of Nigeria, taking the leading role
in the economy and bring about a system that places public
interest first above every other interest.
Meanwhile, a fresh photo of President Muhammdu Buhari
enjoying his vacation in the United Kindgom has just been
released.
The photo might put to rest all the speculations that the president
is dead.

ACROSS NIGERIA: IMO BECOMES FIRST STATE IN NIGERIA TO FLOAT 'AIRLINE

A maiden flight of Imo Air owned by the Imo State Government, Tuesday, landed at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport Owerri with the first set of passengers, and with the State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, members of the State Executive Council and thousands of Imo people at the airport to celebrate the feat. The 140-Seater plane with Imo Air written boldly on the body landed at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport at exactly 11.42 pm, and is being operated for the State by DANA Airline because according to the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha the State has not got the license to operate full – blown airline.

In his speech at the Airport to herald the arrival of the Maiden Imo Air, Governor Rochas Okorocha said it has been his dream and sincere desire to position Imo State on the fast lane of development, prosperity and growth, adding that he won’t rest on his oars until that dream is realized. Governor Okorocha also said that Imo is not affected by the much-talked about recession in the Country because some people might wonder why the State should dabble into Airline business in time of recession explaining that the State has cleared arrears of Pension and has paid Salaries upto December 2016, and is about to commence the payment of January Salary. His words, “this is a happy moment in the State. The aim of going into the Air business is because I want to drive traffic to Imo State as Imo is genuinely becoming the fastest developing City outside Abuja and Lagos. For this, there is need for more airlines to cushion the effects of high traffic coming to the State”. The governor continued “Imo government does not have an operating air license. So we needed to partner with a good and qualified airline operator. Hence, the choice of DANA Air because of its proven track record and sincerity of purpose. The Imo Air will be operated by DANA and we have a contract of ten years with them. We have five of this aircraft and the first one has just landed and four other ones will start operation in few weeks time”. The governor explained, “The International Cargo Airport will soon kick-start to supplement the efforts of Imo Air. In our pursuit of making Imo better, Imo International Cargo Airport will soon commence operations. Work is going on smoothly and by April God’s willing the fastest International Cargo Plane will arrive Imo State. This, we believe will help drive up commercial activities in the State. Imo is a hub for business and there is no better place to invest now in Nigeria than Imo State as inspite of the recession the State is still flourishing and progressing because of its visionary leadership”. He informed that Imo Air will have 10% discount to all Imo indigenes flying the Plane and the operation will equally employ over 30% of Imo sons and daughters to help in the management of the Imo Air”. (Vanguard)

What Nigerians stand to gain from Trump’s presidency – former Ambassador

  A former ambassador to Australia has encouraged Nigerians to embrace Donald Trump’s presidency

- According to him, Trump administration will help to refund stolen funds stashed in America by Nigerian political looters

A former Nigerian ambassador to Australia Adegboyega Ariyo has urged Nigerians to expect positive things from Donald Trump’s administration as the newly sworn in president of the United States of America.

According to reports, Ariyo allegedly said this while giving a speech as a guest speaker at Diplomatic Dialogue organised by the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).

In his speech he entitled: “Donald Trump’s Ascension to American Presidency: Implications for Nigeria, Africa and the World”, Ariyo reportedly said the US president will help return the nation’s stolen funds stashed away in some Western countries.

The one-time Nigerian High Commissioner to Namibia and Head of Diplomatic Corps to the southern African country, said there are some positives the Trump Presidency portends for Nigeria and other African countries, contrary to fears being expressed in some quarters.

He said: “Trump may not carry out many of the threats he issued during the American presidential election campaign because he has to carry along some institutions like the Congress, the Pentagon, the intelligence community along before taking decisions.”

Meanwhile, violence broke out in the United States of America over the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the country.

The initially peaceful protest reportedly became violent when the new president took his oath of office.

According to a report by CNN, around 90 people have already been arrested in the riot which is happening on the inauguration parade route in Washington DC.

Daily Inspirational Quotes

"The one battle most people lose

is the battle over fear of failure...

Try...

Start...

Begin... 

and you will be assured 

you won the first round"

Santa

https://youtu.be/U2TlVBeTMFM

Nigerians know they should reject Buhari in 2019, says Fayose

- Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has insisted that
Nigerians do not need counselling in 2019 to vote out President
Muhammadu Buhari
- He believes the president’s woeful performance will make
Nigerians reject him and his party in totality.
- He also insisted that former President Goodluck Jonathan is
more tolerant of opposition than President Buhari
Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose has said that Nigerians do
not need counselling to reject President Buhari of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 general elections.
According to him, the president’s woeful performance will make
Nigerians reject them in totality.

He made this known in a press statement in Ado Ekiti recently.
The vocal governor also said that the living conditions have
become unbearable for Nigerians under the present
administration. Going further, he accused President Buhari of
being intolerant of opposition.
Consequently, he praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for
his level of tolerance while in power.
”Nigeria of our dream is not what we see now. What I said about
President Buhari are coming to pass. Before the polls, I said
people should not vote for him.
“Nigerians are hungry and they are regretting. If a nobody
contests against Buhari in 2019, Buhari will lose. Nigerians don’t
need counselling to know that they should not vote Buhari in
2019. It is obvious.

“Majority of those who voted for him never really knew him as
they were mostly in their 40s, people who were toddlers when he
ruled Nigeria as a military man in the 80s. Also, he is vindictive
and apart from military nature, he does not have what it takes to
run Nigeria. His government then was run by Idiagbon.
“He is also not tolerant. You can’t compare him with Dr Goodluck
Jonathan. Jonathan accepted defeat in an election he conducted.
“Nobody will be stopped from aspiring, but we will go through
that system to ensure that our candidate is the choice of the
people of the state. After that, the party’s primary would select,
but whatever results we have got from the different groups could
guide in party members making the final choice,” he said.
Meanwhile, the governor has also faulted the federal
government’s claims that the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists have
been technically defeated and that government was clamping
down heavily on perpetrators of the Southern Kaduna killings.
He also said that apart from being an opposition figure, he had
chosen the path of revealing the truth and he asked Nigerians to
look at events in the country and compare to his previous
comments.
Source: naij.com

Bill Gate's wife visits Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna amidst killings

Melinda, wife of one of the world’s top richest men and
philanthropist, Bill Gates, is currently in Kaduna meeting with the
state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Melinda Gates with top officials of the Kaduna state government
Melinda, a co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, an
organisation which is into charity reportedly met with the governor
and his economic team.

Mrs. Gates, whose plane landed at the Kaduna Airport, governor
that the Gates Foundation, also lauded Kaduna State’s drive to
improve the range and credibility of data collection. “Your
commitment to data collection is really admirable. You can't make
decisions without data. We are pleased to help you with that”.
She assured the governor that the Gates Foundation has a joint
interest with the Kaduna State Government to reduce infant
mortality. Assessing the progress on routine immunization, Mrs.
Gates said the BMGF is impressed by the scale of the polio
surveillance mounted by the Kaduna State Government.
Speaking further on the healthcare segment of the partnership
between her foundation and Kaduna State, Mrs. Gates said that
the primary health centres will continue to be supported so that
they can offer a broad range of services to patients.
Mrs. Gates also promised that the BMGF will invest more in
agriculture and in promoting access to financial services.
Malam El-Rufai expressed gratitude to the Gates Foundation for
supporting Kaduna State. He proposed that the partnership
between the foundation and the state should be strengthened by
making it to better cohere with the state’s priorities. These
include maternal and child health, child spacing and nutrition. He
further suggested that the BMGF should support the state’s data
revolution, its state residency identification system and efforts to
promote security and justice, and to address the root causes of
poverty and development.
The governor noted that Mrs. Gates’ direct flight to Kaduna
Airport is a welcome endorsement. He added that Kaduna State
looks forward to strengthening the relationship between the two
partners.
After the meeting, she is expected to be hosted by Hajia Aisha
Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari and they would
discuss issues concerning women.
Mrs Aisha will also be partnering, through the Future Assured, her
organisation, with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on issues
affecting women and children in Africa.

Daily inspiration

"When I face a mountain, I don't just give up. I will strive to climb over, find a tunnel through, pass beneath or by God's Grace, change the mountain to a gold mine"

Lionel Messi free-kick puts Barcelona to the Copa dey Rey quarter final

Luis Suarez goal was the 300th of the deadly Trident

Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez scored his 100th goal in his 120th game for Barcelona as the Spanish giants reached the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with victory over Athletic Bilbao.
Suarez volleyed home from Neymar's superb slow cross at the Nou Camp to put Barcelona 1-0 up on the night and ahead in the tie on away goals with the scores level at 2-2.
The Uruguayan is the third-fastest player to reach a century of goals for Barcelona, with only Mariano Martin (99 games) and Hungarian striker Laszlo Kubala (103) having taken fewer appearances to reach the landmark.
It took Lionel Messi 188 games to reach 100 goals for Barca.
Neymar put Barcelona 3-2 ahead on aggregate after the break when he coolly drilled in a low penalty after he was fouled.
But moments later Athletic striker Saborit's towering header levelled the tie on away goals.
A nervousness engulfed the Nou Camp with the tie heading towards extra-time - until Messi curled in a low free-kick off the post from 20 yards.
The Argentina forward's strike - his third free-kick in three games in 2017 - put the Catalans into the quarter-finals for the seventh successive season.
Barcelona have not lost a La Liga game since the start of October but after a series of disappointing draws are five points behind arch rivals Real Madrid in the race for the Spanish title and are third in the LA liga table.
That means the Copa del Rey may prove to be their best hope of domestic silverware this season.
Boss Luis Enrique knows what it takes to win this competition having led the Catalans to success in each of the past two seasons - taking them to a third triumph in a row would be a feat not achieved since 1953.
Defeat means Athletic, who are seventh in La Liga, have lost to Barca in the Copa del Rey for three consecutive seasons.

Source: BBC sport

Riddles time

A girl used a counterfeit $1000 to by articles in a bookshop, she bought goods of $850 and collected a balance of $150. The bookshop seller later found out that the money was bad and he threw it away.
How much did you think the seller lost? And how much did the girl gained?

Comment in the comments box for your answers let's see who is smart

Governor Kashim Shettima accuses UNICEF, 126 NGO’s of failing to provide services to IDPs

- Governor Kashim Shettima accuses UNICEF and 126 other
NGO’s of failing to justify the funds they claim to be expending
on persons displaced by Boko Haram insurgency
- Shettima says most of the NGOs are using funds released to
them for servicing only their overheads and personnel costs
- The governor says of the 126 NGOs that have mobilised to the
state, only about eight are actually providing humanitarian
services to the displaced persons
Governor Kashim Shettima has said only about eight NGOs were
actually providing humanitarian services to the displaced persons
in Borno state.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has told all United
Nations agencies, including UNICEF, and 126 other
nongovernmental organisations to leave the state for allegedly
failing to provide service to victims of Boko Haram.
Governor Shettima accused the NGO’s of failing to justify the
funds they claim to be expending on persons displaced by Boko
Haram insurgency.
The governor said most of the NGOs were using funds released
to them for servicing only their overheads and personnel costs,
Premium Times reports.
“We have the list of all NGOs operating in this state; apart from
the officially functioning NGOs,”
“Some of the United Nations agencies are doing their best in their
own way of doing things; but to me I am not satisfied."
He accused the UN agencies of being in the habit of using large
portion of the money meant for providing for IDPs to fund their
logistic needs.
He said the UN system would announce millions of dollars as
intervention for victims of Boko Haram, but more than half of
what was released would end up being used for recurrent
spending of the humanitarian agencies.
“The huge chunk of what they are budgeting for Borno goes to
service their overheads. I, as a governor don’t ride in bullet proof
cars; but they spend more than $50, 000 buying bullet proof cars
for themselves.
“They will construct five toilets in Gwoza and fly in helicopters
more than seven times to inspect the toilets," he said.
Mr. Shettima said he was fed-up hearing the UN’s rhetoric and
had decided to take tackle his problems on his own.
He noted that of the 126 NGOs that have mobilised to the state,
only about eight were actually providing humanitarian services to
the displaced persons.
“The World Food Programme is doing a very good job,” he said.
“The ICRC is doing a very good job. We also appreciate the
efforts of the Norwegian Refugee Council and the Danish Refugee
council. The International Organisation for Migration is doing a
good job. The UNHCR is also doing a good job.
“Apart from these eight NGOs, the rest of them are merely
existing. I have a list of 126 NGOs in Borno state.
“But we hardly know what the UN agencies are doing. We only
see them in some white flashy bullet proof jeeps; apart from that,
we hardly see their visible impacts. But particularly the UNICEF,
considering the huge quantum of funds at their disposal, they are
not really trying."
In another development, the Department of State Services (DSS)
says it has recorded major successes against criminal gangs,
kidnap syndicates and terrorist elements across the country.
The agency says the successes have further degraded the
capability of these elements to operate in the county.
A statement issued by Tony Opuiyo on behalf of the agency,
made available to Naij.com, noted that on 1st January, 2017, at
Mutum Biyu in Gassol LGA, Taraba State, suspects identified as
Bale Kolomi Grema and Kolomi Adba-Aji were arrested in a
mosque after they had fled Marte, Borno State, where they were
involved in Boko Haram terrorist activities.

JAMB chairman Ishaq Oloyede has done nothing wrong – Anti-corruption group

- An anti-corruption organization has exonerated the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registrar Ishaq Oloyede

- The organization said Oloyede did nothing wrong during his tenure as the vice chancellor of the University of Illorin

Jamb chairman, Ishaq Oloyede

An anti-corruption group has said that the JAMB registrar Ishaq Oloyede has done nothing wrong

An anti-corruption organization, Centre for social justice, equity and transparency (CESJET) has said that all allegations against the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Ishaq Oloyede are false.

CESJET said Oloyede did nothing wrong in the N2 billion fraud as alleged by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, January 10, CESJET convener Ikpa Isaac said the petition served on the registrar by the ASUU officials is self-serving.

Some ASUU members had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on activities of Oloyede during his tenure as the vice chancellor of University of Illorin.

Oloyede was accused of being involved in a N2 billion fraud.

However, the Isaac said it is on record that JAMB has been firm about the admission processes since the new registrar came on board.

He said the board has also taken a tough stance against the questionable courses that some lecturers have introduced without the necessary approvals.

"We further have it on good authority that the union members are not comfortable with the reforms already being initiated by Professor Oloyede at JAMB since these changes would deprive some corrupt lecturers of the money they would have made from admission racketeering.

"The petition to the EFCC is therefore part of a wider plan to get rid of Professor Oloyede and reverse the gains that the Board has made. If the reforms he is implementing at the examination body are disrupted then the future of tertiary education in the country is in jeopardy," Isaac said.

“For us it would be a sad situation if unionists from a few universities can deprive other universities, polytechnics and colleges of education the opportunity to get quality candidates just for their own selfish gains.

"To the extent that all the allegations that ASUU and its officials have made against Professor Oloyede have been found to be false, malicious and mischievous we are calling on the union to without further delays tender an unreserved apology to the man."

“Instead of maligning Professor Oloyede for his exemplary qualities the ASUU unionists would do well to emulate him and become better persons that can contribute to the nation in meaningful ways," Isaac added.

source: naij.com

Top 21 richest people in Africa 2017: Dangote tops list

Following the plunge in the price of oil and commodities, the size of the fortunes of some billionaires in Africa has continued to drop.

Forbes has published its annual list of richest men in Africa. This year, only 21 billionaires are on the list, worth a combined $70 billion. This is down from the 2015 list which featured 23 African billionaires worth a combined $79.8 billion.

The 21 billionaires hail from 7 countries: South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, Angola and Tanzania.

Two Nigerians dropped off the list this year. They are Femi Otedola, whose net worth dropped from $1.6 billion in November 2015 to just $330 million today, and sugar billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu, whose net worth dropped below $1 billion in the wake of a weakened Nigerian currency.

Below is the new list of African billionaires.

1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria)

Aliko Dangote remains Africa's richest person

Despite a nearly $5 billion drop in his net worth for the second year in a row, the Nigerian cement tycoon remains the richest person in Africa for the sixth year running. He has an estimated net worth of $12.1 billion.

2. Nicky Oppenheimer & family (South Africa)

The richest South African billionaire and the continent’s second richest person is diamond magnate Nicky Oppenheimer with an estimated net worth of $7 billion.

3. Mike Adenuga (Nigeria)

Nigeria’s telecom tycoon is number three on the list with an estimated $5.8 billion fortune.

4. Johann Rupert (South Africa)

The luxury goods tycoon is South Africa’s second richest and Africa’s fourth richest billionaire with a $5.5 billion fortune. Rupert’s net worth is down $800 million since the November 2015 Africa list.

4. Christoffel Wiese

The retail magnate is tied as South Africa’s second richest and Africa’s fourth richest billionaire with Rupert. Wiese’s fortune has dropped $1 billion since the November 2015 Africa list.

6. Nassef Sawiris (Egypt)

The richest billionaire in Egypt has an estimated net worth of $5.3 billion. He runs OCI, one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertilizers. His fortune is up $400 million since November 2015.

7. Naguib Sawiris

Egypt’s next richest man is Nassef’s brother with a $3.7 billion fortune. The telecom tycoon’s net worth increased to $700 million.

8. Isabel dos Santos (Angola)

She is Africa’s richest woman with a $3.2 billion fortune. She is the daughter of Angola’s president, who appointed her as head of Angola’s state oil firm Sonangol in June 2016.

9. Issad Rebrab & family (Algeria)

He has an estimated $3.1 billion fortune.

10. Mohamed Mansour (Egypt)

He has an estimated $2.7 billion fortune.

11. Koos Bekker (South Africa)

He has an estimated net worth of $2 billion.

12. Othman Benjelloun (Morocco)

The Moroccan businessman is worth $1.9 billion.

13. Yasseen Mansour (Egypt)

Egyptian billionaire businessman and part owner of the Mansour Group has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion.

14. Folorunsho Alakija (Nigeria)

Alakija who is the vice chairman of Nigerian oil exploration company, Famfa Oil has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. She is the second richest woman in Africa.

15. Patrice Motsepe (South Africa)

The South African mining magnate has an estimated $1.6 billion fortune.

16. Aziz Akhannouch & family (Morocco)

Aziz Akhannouch is the majority owner of Akwa Group, a multibillion-dollar Moroccan conglomerate with interests in petroleum, gas and chemicals. They family also has businesses operating in media, real estate development and hotels. He has an estimated $1.4 billion fortune.

17. Mohammed Dewji (Tanzania)

The Tanzanian businessman is Africa’s youngest billionaire with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. He is CEO of conglomerate METL, which his father founded in the 1970s.

18. Youssef Mansour (Egypt)

He is also part owner of the Mansour Group and maintains a lower profile than his billionaire brothers Mohamed and Yasseen. He has an estimated $1.1 billion fortune.

19. Onsi Sawiris (Egypt)

At 86, Onsi is the oldest billionaire in Africa. He is the father of two other African billionaires, Nassef and Naguib Sawiris. He has an estimated $1.1 billion fortune.

20. Anas Sefrioui (Morocco)

The real estate businessman is worth $1.1 billion.

21. Stephen Saad (South Africa)

The South African businessman who serves as the chief executive of Aspen Pharmacare is worth $1.1 billion.

Nigerian man makes history as first ever Black African Rhodes Professor

- A Nigerian scholar has made history as the first Black African Rhodes professor of Oxford university

- Professor Wale Adebanwi has made history after many years of scholarly work

- The celebrated professor is an author, poet and veteran journalist

Wale Adebanwi a Nigerian scholar and poet has been appointed to the prestigious Rhodes Professorship in Race Relations in the School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

The 47-year-old is therefore the first black African scholar to be appointed to the prestigious position since it was created more than 60 years ago.

Before Adebanwi, there had been professors like: Professor Kenneth Kirkwood, who occupied the chair for 32 years, Professor Terence Ranger, and Professor William Beinart, who retired from the position in 2015.

Before his appointment he was a professor at the University of California, Davis, United States, and he is also set to be a Fellow of St Anthony’s College, Oxford, from July 1, 2017.

The Rhodes Professorship in race relations is named for Cecil Rhodes a British businessman, mining tycoon and politician in South Africa who served as Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1890-1896.

When he received the appointment, the body said of him: “He is a scholar of international distinction with an outstanding record of research publications in the field of African (sub Saharan) Studies and a proven track record of leadership in research and teaching.”

The professor studied in the university of Lagos (UNILAG), and holds a BSc in mass communication, he also holds a Ph. D. and M.Sc in political science from the University of Ibadan, as well as MPhil and Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge.

He has been acknowledged by Bill gates as one of four former Gates Scholars whose “amazing successes” were remarkable. Bill Gates funded his scholarship at Cambridge more than a decade ago.

He is also an author published widely in the areas of nationalism and ethnic studies, media and communication, corruption and politics, democracy and democratization, cultural politics, spatial politics, urban studies, and social theory and social thought.

In his most recent book: Nation as Grand Narrative: The Nigerian Press and the Politics of Meaning, which was published in 2016, Adebanwi focuses his multi-disciplinary scholarship on salient issues in Nigeria’s troubled history, examining how debates in the newspaper press shaped the narratives as well as the configuration of power.
He once served as reporter, writer and columnist for various publications in Nigeria, among them Nigerian Tribune, The Punch and TheNEWS, which was at the spearhead of the resistance to military dictatorship in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, among some Nigerians who have been identified for their remarkable works is a certain Dr Mustapha Abubakar.

The UK-based Nigerian medical doctor is one of those who have prioritised the development of Nigeria ahead of other activities, and in his field of specialization, stands out as a nation builder.

Source: naij.com

Jammeh asks Buhari, others to postpone Gambia trip

Outgoing President of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, has asked the high Level ECOWAS mediation mission led by President Muhammadu Buhari not to come to the country on Wednesday, January 11, for talks.

The presidency in a statement by Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity on Tuesday, January 10, said the president and other ECOWAS leaders will visit Banjul, the capital of Gambia, on Friday, January 13.

Read the statement below:

At the instance of President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia, the High Level ECOWAS mediation mission led by Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has pushed forward its visit to Banjul, the capital of Gambia, to Friday.

In accepting to postpone the visit earlier planned to take place on Wednesday, President Buhari, who is mediating alongside Mr. John Mahama, the immediate past president of Ghana said the delay notwithstanding, the mandate of the ECOWAS will be accomplished.

President Buhari reiterated the appeal on Monday by ECOWAS leaders that the Gambian leaders do everything they can to douse the tension in the West African country, which has led citizens to leave the country due to political uncertainty.

The Nigerian leader said ECOWAS is committed to the resolution of the crisis through inclusive dialogue with respect to the constitution and the will of the people of Gambia.

Source: naij.com

What is govt's business with church general overseers - Fani-Kayode

- The former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned the new regulatory law on churches

- The former minister said the new law was put in place to attack churches

- He also asked what business the federal government has which church leadership

The former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned government's interference with activities of churches.

Fani-Kayode speaking on the recent resignation of the general overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Enoch Adeboye said the Nigerian government is bent on attacking churches.

The former minister's statement comes after the federal government released a new Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) law moderating the activities of churches and its leaders.

The new law allows specifically limited tenure for general overseers of churches to 20 years or 70 years of age.

The first to comply with this law is the Pastor Adeboye.

Over the weekend, the RCCG released a statement announcing the resignation of Adeboye as the general overseer of the church in Nigeria.

The statement also said that Pastor Joseph Obayemi is to become the new National Overseer of the church, while Adeboye take position as the general overseer of the church worldwide.

But condemning this, Fani-Kayode in a tweet said the law is an attack on Nigerian churches.

He also asked what business the federal government has which churches.

Source: naij.com

FG's interest in church affairs not helpful - Pastor Adeboye

- The new general overseer (worldwide) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Enoch Adeboye has called on members of his church to become active politically

- Adeboye said there are plans for the church to become influential at all levels politically

- He also urged members of the church to register with various political parties in preparation for the 2019 election

The new general overseer (worldwide) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Enoch Adeboye has called on members of his church to become active politically.

Daily post reports that the pastor said federal government's interest in the affairs of churches is not helpful.

Speaking at the Redemption Camp, Kilometre 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun state , Adeboye said it is obvious that RCCG is becoming influential.

“Some people believe that RCCG is becoming too influential and we’re going to be more influential. When you get home, tell members to join a political party,” Adeboye said.

The worldwide general overseer further encouraged members to join political parties to influence decisions especially at the ward level in preparation for the 2019 general elections.

“Join a party and become a card-carrying member of any party. Just join any party. We shall decide issues right from the ward level,” he said.

Read also : RCCG General Overseer (worldwide), Pastor Adeboye seen officiating the Lagos state annual thanksgiving service

“If you are not active at ward level, you’ll do what they plan and say at the top. Enroll in any party of your choice and have a card. When holding meetings at ward level to choose delegates, be there.”

“One Muslim in Ibadan said years ago that he didn’t know what’s wrong with Christians; that we help them to occupy political positions and refused to capitalize on our population. That’s going to change from now,” the pastor said.

Speaking on the enactment of new law over the activities of Nigerian churches by the federal government, Adeboye said the church has a ‘rough’ idea what the laws are about.

He urged the Nigerian government to stay away from activities and decisions made by the church.

“The government has been showing increasing interest in church affairs. Unfortunately, for us in RCCG, it might not be very helpful,” he said.

He said the Nigerian government had earlier succeeded in preventing RCCG from continuing with its stipulated lifetime 100 per cent salaries to its pensioners.

“For example, when I decided on what will be the pension of our pastors, what I decided is not done anywhere in the world. That somebody will retire and continue to earn full salaries all his lifetime.

“This, I started, but government stepped in and made a law that we should be contributing to pension fund,” Adeboye said.

Adeboye said, while the church had no option but to obey the laws, the result has a negative influence on pastors.

“The result is that pastors don’t get as much as they were getting under our own previous arrangement. But, what can we do? We have to obey the law,” he disclosed.

He said other fresh laws had been enacted by the government to disrupt the activities of the church in the country, particularly, the RCCG

Source : naij.com

IPOB demands probe of killing of Igbo man in South Africa

- IPOB has called for the probe of the killing of one Igbo man in
SOuth Africa

- It emphasizes that only Biafra can be good for Igbos

The Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has reacted to the killing
of one Mr. Tochukwu Victor Nnadi, a Nigerian in South Africa.

IPOB compared the killing of Nnadi by policemen in South Africa
to the killing of Igbos in Nigeria and said only the creation of
Biafra can be the best move for Igbos.

Vanguard reports that in a statement by Mazi Innocent Alia ,
Zonal Coordinator Cape Town in South Africa demanded the
probing of the death of Nnadi in the custody of South African
Police, Cape Town CBD on December 29 2016.

“According to eye witness statements and of onlookers,
observers and some IPOB members present during the
confrontation that led to the arrest and instant death of Nnadi, it
was unanimously agreed among them that no other explanation
can be given other than, that the young man was brutally killed by
some sadistic members of the South African police after he was
arrested and handcuffed for suspicion over dealing in dr*gs.”

“Furthermore, the death of Nnadi should serve as a timely
reminder to all sons and daughters of Biafra that no place, not
Nigeria and not even South Africa, can ever be compared to an
independent Republic of Biafra.”

Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of Nigeria Union in South Africa,
confirmed the death to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
telephone from Pretoria.

According to Anyene, an eye witnesses saw the police handcuff
the victim and suffocated him to death.

“When the people saw what happened, they raised an alarm and
confronted the police.
“The union`s chapter in Cape Town is already on top of the
situation and trying its best to facilitate the release of the
detained brother of the deceased,” he said.

Source : naij.com

Pastor Adeboye, Governor Ambode at Lagos state annual thanksgiving service

Following the confusion trailing the reported resignation of Pastor
E A Adeboye as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian
Church of God (RCCG), the cleric was spotted officiating at the
Lagos state government annual thanksgiving.

The service which was held on Sunday, January 8, at the Lagos
House Ikeja, had in attendance the Lagos state governor,
Akinwunmi Ambode, his wife Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, Pastor Enoch
Adeboye and his wife Mrs. Foluke Adeboye.
Pastor Adeboye in his sermon,said for people to experience a
new beginning, they must be willing to follow God completely and
serve Him in truth and spirit.

While drawing his text from Exodus 3:1-8, Genesis 18:1-8 and
Mark 10:46-52 among others, Pastor Adeboye also admonished
Nigerians to leave the camp of the devil and embrace God’s
camp, as well as accept the invitation of God.

Speaking at the special Thanksgiving Service to usher in the New
Year held at the Lagos House in Ikeja, Governor Ambode thanked
spiritual leaders for their ceaseless prayers and wise counsel,
while urging Nigerians to continue to pray for the State, the
country and leaders in the country, especially to ensure a nation
that all would be proud of.

Reports had filtered in on Saturday, January 7, that Pastor Joseph
Obayemi is to become the new National Overseer of the church,
a position which was held by Pastor Adeboye.
It was gathered that the pastor actually appointed new officers to
take over the reins of affairs in Nigeria while he oversees as the
overall head.

Source : naij.com

A World Without Disability?

Recently, a documentary on Down's Syndrome and disability was shown on Channel 4 in the UK. It provoked a great deal of debate into the possibility of a world without disability. I have to confess, I didn't see it myself, nor was I engaged in any of the subsequent debate which occurred on Twitter. I caught up with the discussion a little later, and it was both fascinating and thought-provoking. My dear friend Karen had been much more involved in the debate, and approached me with a beautifully written piece, on the possibilities of a world without disability. It's a difficult subject, and one which she tackles bravely. All thoughts and opinions are hers; some I agree with, some not. And that's ok. Pieces like this need discussion. They need debate and polite discourse. Please enjoy, and feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section, or to chat with either myself or Karen on Twitter.

Some thoughts prompted by 'A World Without Down's Syndrome?'

Last week there was a documentary screened called 'A World Without Down's Syndrome?' I didn't see it, but it provoked intense debate on my timeline with people expressing many different opinions. It is an emotional debate and there are lots of things about it that I'm not sure how I feel. I wouldn't abort a pregnancy because it was Down's, but I strongly believe in the right to choose. It is difficult to police a system based on choice.

Also I think it is worth making the point that Down's isn't just about developmental issues, there are often associated heart defects. I knew someone who lost her six year old brother to a heart problem associated with his Down's. On the other side is the fact that although Down's is a spectrum, like life, most people with the condition are not very 'disabled' by it. By that I mean that not only do they walk, talk, see, hear etc, but they work, have relationships, drive cars, learn foreign languages and so on. There may not be any neurosurgeons with Down's, but how many 'regular' people are neurosurgeons? If we ever got to the point of pregnancy screening that could accurately predict academic achievement, would people abort any pregnancy that couldn't result in a neurosurgeon? That wouldn't leave very many!

The programme made me think about the wider issues of disability in society. I stated that surely a world without disabilities would be good. I still believe that. Some people don't want to see a world without disabilities, obviously they are absolutely entitled to their opinion, but I disagree. Please note that I am NOT advocating terminating pregnancies that will result in disabled children. I am talking about a possible future world where we could intervene to surgically prevent a disability from ever having occurred. Now I know this gets into a very murky area and the shadow of NAZI eugenicists. I am NOT saying that someone with a disability is worth less than anyone else. They are absolutely as important and they contribute to society and should be totally respected. What I am saying is that if I had a choice to be born blind or sighted, I would choose sighted. Wouldn't you? If you were pregnant at some future date and you knew they could safely operate on the foetus to prevent it being born blind, wouldn't you do that too? This is a controversial area I know and I am very sorry if I am upsetting anyone, that isn't my intention.

This does call to mind the episode of Star Trek The Next Generation where the Enterprise is saved because of the technology in Geordie's visor and he says if he hadn't been born, that tech would never have been developed. But it also reminds me of the ep where Riker becomes a member of the Q and grants Geordie what he knows is his greatest wish - the ability to see. Two sides of the coin neatly illustrated there by Star Trek. But I digress....

It is also true to say that much disability develops later in life and isn't present from birth. We work hard to try to prevent such disabilities though and I personally think that is right. For instance we treat glaucoma to try to prevent blindness. If we think we should just let nature take its course, why do we treat illnesses? There is also a fine line between illnesses and disabilities sometimes, like with Cystic Fibrosis.

When cochlear implants were introduced, some people in the deaf community reacted angrily and accused those having them of being traitors. I never understood this. If their condition was treatable with an implant and they don't choose to use it, that is absolutely their choice and should be respected. It is not compulsory. But for people who do choose it, why on earth shouldn't they? I do understand that a strong sense of community developed as a result of feeling excluded from mainstream society to a certain extent. It is sad that people have been excluded and more should be done to make things inclusive, like signing and subtitling on more television programmes/films/theatre performances, more awareness of the issues etc. But I don't think having a strong sense of the deaf community should ever result in criticism of people who wish to and are able to take advantage of a new technology that can help them to hear. Why is it 'better' to be deaf?

It was pointed out to me (very nicely, truly) that if my mental issues had been seen before birth, I could have been terminated. I wish I had been. It isn't as though I would ever have existed, nothing would have been lost. Someone else would have been born in my place, someone for whom life wouldn't be so miserable. My life has no value to me or anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying my mum, for example, doesn't love me. She does. She would have loved another person born in my place just as much, she would have lost nothing. Me, this specific entity of me has no value. Perhaps future screening should focus on the happiness potential? If such a thing were ever to be possible, that might be the greatest application of screening. Whether or not someone will be happy is ultimately much more important than whether or not they can walk.

Screening in the future is likely to become much more accurate. We need to think about these issues now. I don't want to see 'designer babies.' I don't want pregnancies to be ended because of the gender or sexuality of the foetus. In China, according to the BBC, for every 100 girls born there are 119 boys, as a result of sex-specific abortion. This is incredibly worrying, but again under a system of choice, it is hard to police.

All these issues are difficult ones, who decides what is a 'disability' in the first place? In some circumstances I think it is pretty clear, but in others it is a very fine line. Developmental issues, for instance. Who's to say how fast someone 'should' develop? All children develop at their own speed, just because some are outside what we have considered to be 'normal' does that mean they are disabled? Intelligence varies widely among the general population, who decided where the line should be drawn that says those below it are disabled while those above it are 'normal'? Everyone is on a spectrum. Perhaps we just need to realise that and stop classifying people at one end of that spectrum as intellectually disabled? Besides which there is a lot of overlap. To go back to the programme that started me thinking about all this in the first place, there was a woman with Down's featured who spoke two languages and was hoping to marry her long term boyfriend soon. She is doing better than me on both counts. Who's disabled?

Source : metaolie.blogspot.co

ERIC PASLAY Partners With Dexcom To Share His Story And Help Others Living With Diabetes

SAN DIEGO, July 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dexcom, Inc., (NASDAQ: DXCM), a leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes, announced it has partnered with Platinum-selling country music singer-songwriter Eric Paslay, who has Type 1 Diabetes, to raise awareness of the benefits of CGM for people living with the disease. Paslay will work with Dexcom to share his personal experience with diabetes and how proper glucose management has allowed him to live life to the fullest without limitations.

To kick off the partnership, Paslay will attend the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life® international conference on July 6 in Orlando, Florida, where he'll speak with families and children impacted by the disease. He will also perform a special concert for all the attendees during the event.

Education on diabetes management is crucial for 29.1 million Americans living with the condition day-to-day, including 1.25 million diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.1 The growth of continuous glucose monitoring systems, like the Dexcom G5® Mobile CGM System, has helped diabetes patients better understand valuable information about their glucose levels and trends, a key aspect to managing the disease and staying healthy.

"When I'm on the road with a crazy schedule, it's very hard to keep a regular routine, let alone watch what I'm eating and stay on top of my blood glucose levels," said Paslay. "What's really amazing about the Dexcom CGM is that I'm no longer surprised while I'm on stage—I can see my levels go up and down and take action. My tour manager also monitors my levels with the Follow app and tells me in my earpiece if they are going high or low, so I can take steps to get back in check. As a musician and an individual living with Diabetes, I can't say enough good things about the impact CGM has made on my personal and professional life."

Paslay was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 10 after his grandmother noticed him drinking too many fluids and rushed him to the hospital, which led to a quick diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. Now, Paslay is passionate about helping others with diabetes through his music and by sharing what he's learned about managing the disease. In partnering with Dexcom, he hopes to spread awareness of continuous glucose monitoring and empower those impacted by diabetes to get educated about their options and make sure they are taking care of themselves.

"I want to share my story in hopes that I can educate other people with diabetes, especially young people, that they can follow their dreams by taking good care of themselves and that proper diabetes management is the key," Paslay added.  "People need to know that there are advanced tools like CGM available to help with the successful management of this disease."

"We are so inspired by Eric's story and are excited to collaborate with him to empower others living with diabetes," stated Kevin Sayer, Chief Executive Officer of Dexcom. "As someone who has personally benefitted from CGM, Eric is a perfect role model to help others learn about their options for diabetes management. We believe his story will help inspire those who struggle with this disease on a daily basis to be more empowered to take control of their diabetes."

Continuous glucose monitoring is considered the most significant breakthrough in diabetes management in the past 40 years.2 The traditional standard-of-care for glucose (blood sugar) monitoring has been a finger stick meter. CGM augments the use of glucose meters for the management of diabetes. With the recent introduction of the Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM System, people with diabetes can now view their glucose information on their iOS-enabled devices for real-time diabetes management. CGM is important because, in addition to providing the glucose level, it provides the direction and rate of glucose change with the push of a button and alerts users when glucose is too low or too high.

Diabetes affects 10% of the American population and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.2 With diabetes, the body cannot produce or use the hormone insulin effectively, causing a buildup of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. It is estimated that approximately 86 million Americans over the age of 20 are at risk for developing diabetes (primarily Type 2), largely due to obesity, physical inactivity and poor diet.2 People with diabetes who take insulin must monitor their blood glucose levels frequently. Uncontrolled glucose can cause health complications and even death.

Source : acountryrodie.blogspot.com

President Buhari promises return of more chibok girls

- President Buhari has promised that his administration is
committed to release of Chibok girls

- He commiserated with the parents of the abducted girls

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his
administration is committed to the return of the Chibok girls who
were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.

President Buhari spoke on Sunday, January 8 which marks the
1000th day of the abduction of the girls from their school,
Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

More than 200 girls were abducted from their school in April
2014 during the administration of former president, Goodluck
Jonathan.

Chibok girls that were released in 2016 

While some of them have reportedly died, a few have been
rescued by security operatives since President Muhammadu
Buhari took over power.
In a statement by Femi Adesina who is the special adviser to the
president on media and publicity, he quoted Buhari as saying he
was committed to bringing the girls back home.

Buhari said: "We are grateful to God that on this landmark day,
we are not completely in the depths of despair, but buoyed with
hope that our daughters will yet rejoin their families and loved
ones. Three of them have been recovered by our diligent military,
while the freedom of 21 others was secured through engagement
with their captors. We are hopeful that many more will still return
as soon as practicable.”

"I salute the fortitude of the distraught parents. As a parent also,
I identify with their plight. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to
months, months turned to years, and today, it is 1,000 days. The
tears never dry, the ache is in our hearts. But hope remains
constant, eternal, and we believe our pains will be assuaged. Our
hopes will not be shattered, and our hearts will leap for joy, as
more and more of our daughters return. It is a goal we remain
steadfastly committed to.”

The president applauded all those who have been involved and
committed to the return of the abducted girls.

"Someday soon, we will all rejoice together. Our intelligence and
security forces are unrelenting, and whatever it takes, we remain
resolute. Chibok community, Nigeria, and, indeed, the world, will
yet rise in brotherhood, to welcome our remaining girls back
home. We trust God for that eventuality."

Source : naij.com