Author: Opalim Lifted

Many people breathed a sigh of relief when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced on Monday that the old N1000, N500, and N200 naira notes would remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes until December 31, 2023, in accordance with the Supreme Court decision. However, many bank branches remained closed across the country, and those that did have cash rationed it. It was learned that the CBN had yet to supply the banks with the old notes. Crowds gathered in banking halls and at Automated Teller Machines in many branches (ATMs). Customers in Jos, the Plateau State capital, were…

The World Health Organization, WHO reported an increase in cholera cases in Mozambique in recent weeks, despite many other African countries reporting a decrease. The country has received approval for an additional 1.3 million cholera vaccine doses to help control the spread, according to the agency, but the vaccine shortage must still be addressed. Malawi, which has been fighting the deadliest cholera outbreak in its history, is now seeing a sustained decline in cases and deaths, according to WHO official and epidemiologist Dr. Otim Ramadan. Cholera outbreaks are also being addressed in Zambia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The progress to…

Patience Ozokwor reacts to comparison with Sola SobowalePatience Ozokwor and Sola Sobowale are two such actresses whose extraordinary acting abilities have captivated audiences. Mama G and the King of Boys are undeniably one of Nigeria’s finest talents, and their stellar performances in film have enriched the childhoods of many African children. Although they are both well-known for their sinister roles in films, particularly Ozokwor. Recently, a Twitter user paired photos of Nollywood stars, asking the online community to choose who they loved more from all the pairs. “Patience Ozokwor or Sola Sobowale,” Abas tweeted. The veteran actor who saw the…

On Iyewa Street in the Isolo area of Lagos State, a driver of a Sports Utility Vehicle killed two siblings, Abibu Bello, 17, and his brother, Bolaji, 14, and injured one other person. The female driver had just left a hairdressing salon in the neighborhood and was driving to a nearby destination when she lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a building where the siblings were playing. A resident who did not want to be identified said the victims were the children of a local politician. He said, “The incident happened around 7.40pm. The vehicle first crashed into…

Rivers State’s five opposition political parties have vowed to fight any attempt to rig the March 18 governorship and State House of Assembly elections. At a joint press conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the parties accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conspiring with the state government to undermine the election. The parties are the All Progressives Congress, the National Rescue Movement, the Labour Party, the African Democratic Congress, and the Action Alliance. Tonye Cole, the APC governorship candidate, accused State Governor Nyesom Wike of planning to crack down on opposition parties during the election. Cole said, “We…

The federal government has rescheduled the 2023 population and housing census, which had previously been scheduled for March 29, 2023. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, announced to State House correspondents on Wednesday, shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The exercise will now take place in May 2023, according to the Minister. He also revealed that the Council approved a sum of N2.8 billion for the National census to purchase software for the census. He said, “There was a memo presented by the National Population…

No fewer than 25 broadcast stations have received penalties from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for breaking the law regarding coverage of the general elections in 2023. 16 additional broadcast stations have received final warnings from the commission for a variety of violations. This was said by NBC’s Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, during a press conference held on Tuesday in Abuja prior to the elections for the State Houses of Assembly and governor on March 18. He claims that while 16 stations have received a final warning, NBC sanctioned 25 stations during the monitoring of the 2023 presidential election. Also, one…

Seven board members for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses have been sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari (ICPC). At the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, the swearing-in took place just before the start of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting. Retired Justice Adamu Bello (Katsina), Hannatu Mohammed (Jigwa), Olubukola Balogun (Lagos), Obiora Samuel Igwedibia (Anambra), Abdullahi Saidu (Niger), Yahaya Umar Dauda (Nasarawa), and Grace Chinyere are among the reappointed ICPC board members that the President swore in (Rivers). This is the first FEC meeting since the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections that led to…

Nigeria and 54 other nations are listed on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023. The countries have the most urgent workforce issues related to universal health coverage, according to the international health organization. “In particular, these countries have: 1) a density of doctors, nurses and midwives below the global median (i.e., 49 per 10 000 population); and 2) a universal health coverage service coverage index below a certain threshold,” WHO said in the report released March 8. “To account for the disruptions caused to health services by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects on…

North Korea’s latest missile launches were a military drill designed to train crews to carry out their mission at any time and “annihilate the enemy” if necessary, according to the country’s state media, KCNA. North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, according to South Korea’s military, the latest of several weapons tests as the South and the US conduct their largest joint military exercises in years. The launch was a “demonstration drill,” with two surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missiles fired from near the west coast of South Hwanghae province, flying 611 kilometers…