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Ortom lauds Buhari on electoral act amendment bill. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declining to assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Makurdi, Ortom insisted that party primaries were the exclusive reserve of political parties. He said that direct primaries was expensive hence only big parties with enormous resources could afford them. On indirect primaries, he said that the process only differed with direct primaries in terms of election of delegates at the ward levels Ortom said of all the processes of electing candidates, the consensus mode of election was the best. ” On the consensus mode, members of the party come together and agree on a candidate thereby saving money, time and it is devoid of rancour,” he said. He appealed to the National Assembly to accept the reasons deduced by the president while refusing to assent to the bill. He, however, agreed with parts of the amendment bill that

  On Saturday night, the starboy 'himself' Wizkid, held a music concert in Lagos. Wizkid and Olamide, Nigeria's mega music superstars, thrilled fans to a fantastic concert in Lagos. The concert as part of a music world tour by Wizkid, featured the likes of Olamide, Fireboy and Lojay.  Their performance at the concert was electrifying.  Olamide and Wizkid, performed songs, they did together in the past, their old songs. Thereby, settling rumours of 'bad blood' between the two as perceived by fans. Wizkid appreciated Olamide and reminisced on old times when they were still struggling. He said: “We’ve come so far from that life, I remember when we did that song ‘Omo Toh Shan’. “We thank God for our lives my brother.” The latest music sensation known as 'Portable', also performed. He was sprayed with foreign currency by Wizkid as he performed on stage with Olamide. They all gave a spectacular performance for the night. 'Portable' is known for his hit son

              [BREAKING] Electoral Bill:  Senate President reads Buhari’s letter of Withdrawal of Assent. As Buhari asks Senate to quickly Consider 2021 Appropriation Virement of N13.588 trillion. The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan read on Tuesday, the letter of President Muhammadu Buhari withholding of assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment bill. President Buhari in the letter is withholding assent to the bill citing the imposition of direct primaries as approved by the National Assembly, the National Assembly for picking candidates by political parties in the amended Electoral Act as a violation of the spirit of democracy. According to Buhari, with Direct primaries, there will be plethora of litigation from party members and stakeholders, just as he said that allowing the process would fuel corruption as well as encourage over monitorization. In the letter read during plenary after the Senators came out from a closed-door session that was held from 10.42 to 11.42 am

  POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: These are positive statements, that can help you change the way you think, thereby helping to overcome negative thoughts. Positive affirmation is a process of saying positive words to yourself, repeating them often and believing in them. This can propel you to make positive changes in your life.  How often do you want someone to say something good about you? How often do we put up a big smile, when we are commended for a job well done? Positive words are endearing to the human heart. HERE ARE SOME POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS BELOW: I am a success.  I believe in yourself.  I love myself for who I am.   I am in charge of my own happiness.  I accept 100% responsibility for my own life.  The best is yet to come.  I am grateful for every day Positive words are life building, learn to say them, speak positively to yourself and believe! 

Hey guys today's menu is called Ewa Agoyin, this food is made popular by people from the Western part of Nigeria (the Yoruba) and the Republic of Benin.  Ewa Agoyin is made from honey beans. While cooking, the beans are made to be extremely soft or mashed, giving it, it's mashed texture.  It is normally eaten with a peppery, very spicy sauce, made from grounded pepper and onions.  It can be eaten with boiled yam, plantain or bread. This adds to the favour and makes it very appealing. It is high in protein. INGREDIENTS AND COOKING METHOD: * 4 Cups of Beans (Oloyin/honey beans). * 1 Cups dry whole chilli pepper. * 6 pieces dry shombo (cayenne pepper). * Cameroun pepper. * Ginger. * 3 Small onions (300g). * Bell peppers. Place the dried shombo and bell peppers in hot water, leave for a minimum of 5 hours to soften them. Cut the onions into thin slices, then add the shombo and bell peppers, minced ginger and Cameroon pepper to a blender. Blend your mix of onions, ginger and peppe

China moves to help Nigeria tackle insecurity, Mr Cui said the move by China is part of its support to tackling the insecurity bedeviling Nigeria, disclosing that the security experts are expected to arrive Nigeria soon. Concerned about insecurity in the country, China has offered to send a high-level delegation of criminal investigation experts to meet with Nigerian security agencies. Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking to journalists on the sideline of the October 1, China-Nigeria friendship award to students of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Mr Cui said that the move by China is part of its support to tackling the insecurity bedeviling Nigeria, disclosing that the security experts are expected to arrive Nigeria soon. “China’s Central government is really concerned about the security situation in Nigeria and also the Chinese Nationals in Nigeria. “We are working hard on how we can get support from China. I think that it

On Monday 20th December, 2021, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu says the commission will require N305 billion to conduct the 2023 general elections. The INEC Boss, made this known in a statement during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Appropriation at the National Assembly. This amount will facilitate the electoral process by aiding the commission to prepare for the election. It will go a long way to assist in the purchase of all the election materials needed and also cover several bye-elections across the country. The INEC Chairman noted however that the commission has already received N100 billion out of the required amount for the elections. The National Assembly is yet to receive a letter from President Muhammad Buhari on his decision to give or withdraw his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The 30-day deadline stipulated by the constitution for the President to respond to the bill expired on Sunday

Former student leader, Gabriel Boric has been elected Chile’s youngest-ever president, capping a remarkable rise for the Andean nation’s progressive left. The former law student who has pledged to bury Chile’s “neoliberal” economic model convincingly defeated far-right rival Jose Antonio Kast in the country’s presidential runoff on Sunday. I am going to be a president of all Chileans, whether you voted for me or not,” Boric, 35, said in a call with current President Sebastian Pinera on Sunday night. “I am going to do my best to get on top of this tremendous challenge.” Boric, who will take office in March, tapped into public anger at Chile’s market-oriented economic model, widely considered to have helped drive decades of rapid economic growth but stoking inequality. That imbalance sparked widespread angry social uprisings in 2019, lighting the fuse for the political rise of the progressive left and the redrafting of the country’s dictatorship-era constitution. If Chile was the cradle

We promise to bring to you, a recipe to spice up your Christmas celebration. Today's meal is Fura da nono. Make a difference this Christmas, make Fura da nono. Fura da nono is simply 'Millet and Milk' in English language.  Nono is locally fermented fresh cow milk, it has a thick, creamy texture. While fura is grounded millet grains. Putting these two together is a superb mix and it is absolutely delicious! This highly nutritious 'beverage' has its origins from the Fulani and Hausa people of West Africa. The fura (millet) are usually moulded into millet dough balls by vendors but we are making ours strictly for Christmas, there is no need to mould them into balls. Except of course, in the spirit of Christmas, if you want to distribute some, to neighbours, family and friends. HOW TO MAKE FURA: 1. Carefully handpick the husk and stones from the millet. Remove traces of sand or dust from the grain by winnowing or sieving. 2. Convert the millet into a powdered form by gr

  So what are you waiting for?....move!

What You Need to Know About Messenger RNA Vaccines (mRNA). The vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies. Like all vaccines, mRNA vaccines benefit people who get vaccinated by giving them protection against diseases like COVID-19 without risking the potentially serious consequences of getting sick. mRNA vaccines are newly available to the public. However, researchers have been studying and working with mRNA vaccines for decades. The same COVID-19 mRNA vaccine product should be used for both doses of a two-dose primary series and for an additional primary dose, if needed. However, any of the COVID-19 vaccines can be used for a booster dose. The booster dose product does not need to match the product used for the primary series. Pfizer - BioNTech AND MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINES: ARE THEY mRNA? Yes they are! The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are messenger RNA vaccines also called mRNA vaccines.  mRNA vaccines are so

A total of 89 countries have reported cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO)," said on Saturday. The virus is gaining a wide spread in countries with high levels of population immunity but it is uncertain if this is as a result of the virus’ ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in an update. Omicron was classified as a variant of concern on the 26th of November 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO). This happened soon after it was first detected and alot is still not known/understood about this variant of covid 19 virus. This includes, the seriousness of the illness it causes. “There are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron,” the WHO said. “More data are needed to understand the severity profile and how severity is impacted by vaccinat

Picture credit: Fitandheal  A sedentary lifestyle is a lifestyle type in which little to or no physical activity and exercise is done, as opposed to an active lifestyle.  A person living a sedentary lifestyle is often sitting or lying down while engaged in an activity like socializing, watching television, playing video games, reading or using a mobile phone/computer for much of the day.  A sedentary lifestyle contributes to poor health quality and many preventable causes of death and diseases. Sitting time is a common measure of a sedentary lifestyle. A global review representing 47% of the global adult population found that the average person sits down for 4.7 - 6.5 hours per day with the number going up every year. Screen time is a term for the amount of time a person spends looking at a screen such as a television, computer monitor, or mobile device. Excessive screen time is linked to negative health consequences. Picture credit: Ciker A sedentary lifestyle, stress and unhealthy ha

  An atitude of gratitude. Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry, and irritation. - Gratitude can improve your relationships. It brightens your heart and reflects in your smile. - Gratitude can improve productivity and performance. With a grateful soul, the World is  yours to conquer. - It can help you sleep better. Not a worry in the World, as contentment fills the soul. - It can help your heart. A thankful heart, a merry heart. - It can help you cope with stress and boost your mental strength. Happy, I am, grateful for what I have. Gratitude promotes optimism and helps us to develop a more positive outlook. It lets us pause for a moment to reflect on something we have in our life right now instead of always striving for more. Furthermore, being thankful is proven to be good for your health. Studies show gratitude gives you a healthier heart, better sleep, boosts your immune system, puts you in a better mood, and increases your

Hi, stay Mentally active by trying to solve this riddle. What is your answer?

On this article, "The Queens" is giving recognition to the first woman in Africa to be elected President of her country. Meet Ellen Johnson Sirleaf a Liberian politician who served as the 24th President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.  She won the 2005 presidential election and took office on the 16th of January 2006 and was re-elected in 2011.  Sirleaf was born Ellen Eugenia Johnson, on the 29th of October 1938, in Monrovia to a Gola fatherand Kru-German mother.  She was educated at the College of West Africa. She completed her education in the United States, where she studied at Madison Business College and Harvard University. She returned to Liberia to work in William Tolbert's government as Deputy Minister of Finance from 1971 to 1974. Later, she worked again in the West, for the World Bank in the Caribbean and Latin America. In 1979, she received a cabinet appointment as Minister of Finance, serving to 1980.

So so funny!  How do you decrease the stress hormones? Laugh!  How do you improve/increase immune cells? Laugh! How do you build up infection-fighting antibodies? Laugh! LAUGH! LAUGH! LAUGH! 

Wow folks! Another week as we edge closer to Christmas. Can you feel the atmosphere of calm as highlighted in the last post? Rice, Goat meat, Turkey and Chicken Stew.  Yep! Christmas rice as it is fondly called, served with stew is a staple food of the average Nigerian and we all love it! Nonetheless, we are going to fill you in, on a few additional recipes for this Christmas. A little extra to spice up your celebration. So everyday until it is Christmas eve, we will put down a recipe you can try out. FISHERMAN SOUP Today we are starting with fisherman's soup. As the name implies, it is a seafood with a touch of Nigerian classy style.  Picture credit: Excellent Nigerian Meals. Seafood Fisherman Soup is popular Nigerian soup from the south south and south east areas. Technically Fisherman's soup is just a fish broth made with Palm oil. Ingredients required: 1. Ngolo. 2. Fresh fish. 3. Crabs. 4. Perewinkles. 5. Shrimps. 6. Big dried prawns. 7. Fresh prawns. 9. Cocoyam powder. 9.

The Pesident of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari is 79 years old.  Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, has been President of Nigeria since 2015. He won re-election in 2019 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress. He is a retired Nigerian Army Major General and has served as military head of state in Nigeria between 1983 to 1985, after taking power in a military coup d'état.  He was born on 17 December 1942 in Daura, in Katsina State. The President who is currently in Turkey, highlighted his thoughts below; "I had thought that being away from Abuja, I will escape a celebration. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here we are, far away in Turkey and I still didn’t escape,” Mr Buhari said in the Facebook post, which appears to be a response he gave at the celebration organised for him in Istanbul. “Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as pr

Canada lifts ban on 10 African countries. Following internal and international criticism, Canada has back-pedalled on its African travel bans ahead of schedule. Canada is lifting the ban on international travel from the 10 countries in Africa starting December 18 at 11:59 p.m. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement on December 17. Canada first implemented the ban on November 26 to seven African countries, but within days expanded to 10: South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. The ban was originally set to expire on January 31. Canada will also re-introduce pre-arrival tests for all new incoming travellers. Currently, Canadian residents can leave and come back within 72 hours without needing a pre-arrival COVID-19 test. A negative pre-arrival test will  be required for all new arrivals to Canada starting December 21. The government said the bans were originally put in place due to a high rate of travellers test