The Minister for Information, Arts and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has hailed Nigerians for their perseverance and understanding, urging them to look forward to better times in 2017.
Mr. Mohammed spoke to journalists at a programme tagged “A special evening of music and camaraderie to usher in the Yuletide season”, organised by the Lagos State Government at the State House, Alausa.
“We give thanks to God that we are alive; by the grace of God, next year will be much easier. 2016 has not been a particularly easy year even for governance because the economy has not done much as well as we thought.
“This is not because of incompetence on the part of government but because of the general global slowdown and this affected commodity prices.” Mr. Mohammed said
According to him, despite all, the government tried its best, especially in the face of challenges with the Niger DeIta, and has more than thrice intervened and bailed out some states.
Mr. Mohammed commended Nigerians for their perseverance and understanding and urged them to continue to support the government.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abdulwaheed Odushile, told journalists that the Federal Government needed to focus more on the economy, particularly in the area of job creation.
“Government needs to improve the economy by creating jobs directly. It should create rooms so that people in the non- formal sector can also create jobs, especially in agriculture, tourism and other areas where they can show their skills.
“It has done a good job in terms of security but it can still be improved upon; if the economy is okay, there will be less crime.
“Job creation is very important and I think government should focus more on that.” Mr. Odushile said
Earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said that the programme was the governor’s initiative to usher in the Yuletide season.
“This is more than unwinding, it is in sync with the brand of the governor to use arts, culture and tourism and entertainment to promote excellence in the state.
“You can see from the array of evergreen artistes; this is rich, these are artistes who made their mark in Lagos.” Mr. Ayorinde said
He said the government’s intention was to celebrate them, honour them and to show that they were integral part of the developmental process in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu; former APC National Chairman, Bisi Akande ; Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; former governor of Cross-River, Donald Duke, among other dignitaries, were present at the event.
Artistes who performed include Ebenezer Obey, Victor Uwaifo, Salawa Abeni, Lagbaja, Adewale Ayuba, Shina Peters and Wasiu Ayinde Marshal.
NAN
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
