Nigerian Children Suffering From Severe Malnutrition: UNICEF

The United Nations has warned a million children in Nigeria's Borno state are suffering from severe malnutrition. According to UNICEF's Regional Director for Western and Central Africa Manuel Fontaine, in areas where Boko Haram militants had been in control it found people without water, food or sanitation. The UN' agency chief said that as more areas in north-eastern Nigeria become accessible to humanitarian help, the extent of the nutrition crisis affecting children is becoming more apparent.

Bala-Usman Resumes At NPA, With Promises Of Transparency

Mrs. Hadiza Bala-Usman on Monday assumed duty as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, taking over the mantle of leadership from her predecessor, Mr. Habib Abdullahi, who was last week, relieved of the position by President Muhammadu Buhari. Bala-Usman is the first woman to head the parastatal in its 62 years of existence.

In a brief speech after the handover ceremony, which held at the NPA headquarters in Lagos, the new managing director promised to enthrone transparency, probity and accountability in the agency in accordance with international best practices. Bala-Usman described the seaports as critical gateways to the nation’s economy and appealed for cooperation of all stakeholders, especially as the Federal Government was determined to diversify the economy, using the maritime sector as the springboard. She said, “The ports remain critical infrastructure. They’re the economic artery of the nation. We have to work hard to improve efficiency, improve revenue generation, and boost imports and exports, among other. Anything short of world-class standard is unacceptable. I’m happy to come into the NPA family and together, we can achieve greater results. “Let’s uphold good work ethics. Let’s listen to the concerns of stakeholders. Let’s ensure we enthrone integrity and accountability.” Abdullahi had earlier expressed satisfaction for the years he spent at the agency. “It’s been both smooth and challenging. The NPA boasts of a sound management with experienced staff, but most of them will exit in five years’ time. So, it’s good you have a good succession plan,” he advised his successor. Source: The Punch.

I’m still loyal to APC, Says Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday pledged his continued loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would redeem its electoral promises. Saraki in court Saraki in court He was quoted as speaking at the 10th Abuja Housing show theme: “Expanding Access To Affordable Housing In Africa.” in a statement by his Special Assistant new media, Bamikole Omishore. Saraki assured that the APC government was unwaveringly committed to the social welfare of the people while re-affirming his unalloyed loyalty to the party. Saraki said, “The Senate and the National Assembly as a whole believe very strongly that we must make a difference in the housing sector.” It said that Saraki who reacted to observations that the existing housing laws needed amendment charged the organizers of the Summit to take a further step by forwarding a document of laws requiring amendments to the National Assembly. He noted that the Senate has commenced the review processes of several laws affecting property rights and access housing in the country. According to the Senate President, the review of the National Housing Fund Act is on-going and would be completed before the end of the year. It quoted Izunaso as saying that housing deficit in the country is pegged at 17million housing units. Izunaso said “As at today, only 10 per cent of those who dream to own a house in the country can afford it, as against the 92 per cent house owners in Singapore. “The central objective of the Summit, however, is to come up with feasible strategies on how to end the problem of homelessness in Nigeria.” . Other personalities at the Summit include the representative of the Speaker of House of Reps, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Çakıl, TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, among other investors. Source: Vanguard.

Iyabo Ojo Says She Is Not Landlady

Actress, Iyabo Ojo, has denied a report by some section of the media which suggested that she is now a landlady. Ojo rejected the claim in a pleasant way through an Instagram comment posted on Sunday, July 17, 2016. She thanked the particular media outfit for the good thought, which she hopes to make

a reality as soon as possible. The actress wrote: "I didnt know moving from one apartment to another was a big deal lol! I am not yet a landlady#punchnewspaper thanks 4 wishing me well tho, i claim it! but dont worry its a work in progress i have started, very soon when i become one u all will be well imformed! tho Right now Festus & priscy & all my other blessed kids i send to school to have a great & brighter future are d masions that i am building i believe in future i will own many houses as gift from my many children@seunoloketuyi @goldmynetv@instablog9ja". Ojo recently made a post on her Instagram where she mused about her past and her struggles before the fame. Her comments served as a form of encouragement to her followers, encouraging them to persevere and work hard just like she did.

Adewale Ayuba Praises Media, Prays To Win Grammy Award for Fuji Music One Day

Fuji artiste Adewale Ayuba has praised the media for promoting artistes and their craft even as he talked about the evolution that he has seen happen to the Nigerian music industry. He also noted that Nigerian music is something to reckon with now, all over the world.

He also talked about piracy and copyright infringements as challenges facing the industry, admonishing government to step up their efforts in combating the crime. Speaking on whether he feels he has been able to pass across his message to the world through his music, the singer says marketing and promotion of his album is a limiting factor in getting his music across beyond Nigerian shores, but he is grateful for the support. Ayuba also reveals the recording process in releasing a song back then and now, why Sony Records which he was signed to and recorded the very successful album “Bubble” left Nigeria. The 'Happy People' crooner talks about Fuji music acceptance and relevance among young artistes of today’s generation – Nigeria and beyond, speaking of how he tries to blend with the trend to cater for his music while still maintaining the originality he is known for. Asked if he would be collaborating with younger artistes at some point, Adewale says he has worked with artistes like Jazzman Olofin, Tiwa Savage and soon to work with Yemi Alade, but is really about exporting Fuji music to the Western world. On a final note, he reveals what he terms as success as an artiste and human. Says he: "Firstly I will say I am successful because when you have God...I have somebody behind me that's guiding me, showing me the way, He's the one that gave me the talent, He's the one that's guiding me, showing me the way, but I pray to one day be holding Grammy Award. I have held the African Grammy, which is Kora Award but I want the international Grammy on Fuji music, that's my prayer, when I get to that level I know, yeah Lord thank you because money is not everything, as they make noise on reggae,I want people to get to America and say 'Wow Fuji oh that's Nigerian music , that's all we need".

Sorry, Mick Jagger - You're Too Old To Have A Baby

He's always broken the rules - but still, news that Mick Jagger, 72, is to become a father again has raised a few eyebrows. Sir Mick appears to enjoy good relationships with his seven children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild - and his partner, American ballerina Melanie Hamrick, who at 29 is 43 years his junior, says she "can't wait for him to be a dad again". But having a baby at 73 (as Sir Mick will be when the child is born) - do they really know what they're letting themselves in for? I speak from experience when I say that Miss Hamrick may find out that having children with someone old enough to be her father (or even grandfather) is a Bad Idea. My former husband, Anthony, became a second-time-around father at the age of 61 and again at 63 (which makes him a relative spring chicken compared with Sir Mick), and it proved fatal to our marriage. Of course, I have no regrets in that I wouldn't have my two beloved children if we hadn't taken this decision. And it was a decision, not a whirlwind romance. We had been together eight years by the time William was born in 2002, when I was 31. Although Anthony had initially expressed some doubts about having a baby at his age, he ultimately took very little persuading. We had everything planned. I would go back to work as a university teacher and Anthony, an academic who had taken early retirement several years previously, would become a stay-at-home dad. As the father of three adult children, he had years of experience to draw on - at this stage, his age felt like an advantage. I was overwhelmed with New Mother anxieties, but Anthony was able to reassure me that everything was fine. He was the one who got up in the night, as he didn't need to be at work in the morning; he was the one who walked William around the block when he wouldn't settle. Inevitably, though, things didn't quite work out as I'd imagined. I was William's mother; I felt Anthony was trying to take over. My job had once meant something to me; now, I hated every minute spent in my office. I just longed to be at home with my baby. And Anthony was no happier than I was. He found full-time childcare relentless, unfulfilling and frustrating. He loved the children, but looking back, he was just too old. Nevertheless, we were enchanted with our son, and keen to make things work. We had a second baby, Matilda, in 2004, and immediately following her birth, I went freelance. I looked after the children by day, and wrote by night. But that's when Anthony's advanced years really began to tell on us. He had been a patient university teacher who always went the extra mile for students. But he just couldn't cope with his own children. William was prone to night terrors and tantrums as a toddler, and I quickly became the only one able to handle him. The extreme age gap was particularly marked in our very different attitudes to parenting. Anthony simply came from a different generation - as a boy, he had spent his days cycling around the countryside, returning home in time for supper. But our children were - like their peers - far less free-range and more home-based. I believed they should behave well because it was the right thing to do, not because someone might shout at them otherwise. Anthony had been brought up with corporal punishment, and his attitude to discipline was more along the lines of ''do as I say, or else''. For me, though, the main problem was the way in which Anthony's impatience grew with his years. As the children grew older and more opinionated, his tolerance for their chaos and mess diminished. And as his hearing started to fail, he found their noise so objectionable that he would often leave the room. Arguments were commonplace. My role as peace-keeper made me stressed and ill. As our children grew up, he became increasingly baffled and frustrated by the virtual world that they inhabited, talking to their friends through emojis and group chats via Snapchat, Instagram and Whatsapp. ''Why don't they just talk to one another?'' he complained. In turn, the children regarded him as hopelessly out of touch. All pre-teens regard their parents as embarrassing, but Anthony's increased age made the situation worse. At primary school, Matilda would often feel indignant when children assumed he was her grandfather. Of course, you could say that there's a world of difference between an out-of-touch former university professor and a very-much-in-touch rock star. But even Mick Jagger isn't going to be immune to physical decline. Aged just two years older than Sir Mick is now, Anthony suffered a mini stroke last March. He is slim, fit, eats healthily and has never smoked - yet age caught up with him. He made a full recovery but must now take a plethora of drugs. When it happened, I was upset, but curiously unsurprised. I had thought for some time that his temper might end up making him ill. My main concern was how it would affect the children. I felt guilty about inflicting an old and infirm father on my precious offspring. And, worse still, guilt because I had been wanting to leave him for a long time because I couldn't cope with his inability to handle our loud, lively, beautiful, boisterous children. I waited a month before broaching the subject of separation. There was no argument. Just a matter-of-fact conversation in the garage, away from the children. ''I think we should separate,'' I said. ''Will you change your mind?'' Anthony asked. ''No,'' I replied. It had taken me years to say it, and there was no chance that I would go back now. I had felt like a single parent for such a long time that I felt it would make very little difference to formalise the arrangement. I was the one who took them for walks, bike rides and days out. Anthony might have wanted to, but he was no physical match for two vigorous teenagers. He knew it - and was frustrated by his limitations. Six months later, we sold our family home and went our separate ways. Would I have done anything differently? I have to say no, as I can't begin to imagine life without our lovely children. But I am deeply saddened that we have ended up in this situation. Divorce isn't - or wasn't - a part of my landscape, and I can only say that it was a decision born of deep despair. Children can perhaps bring couples together. But I think it can have this effect only when everything else is right with the relationship. In our case, children proved too much for a relationship that always had the potential to be tricky. I hope that Melanie Hamrick's experience is better than mine.

Women Pose Nude Against Trump In Cleveland

More than a hundred women stripped and posed naked with mirrors in Cleveland, answering a photographer’s call to blend art with politics and portray Donald Trump as unfit for the White House.

They gathered on the eve of the Republican National Convention, where the brash New York billionaire will be anointed the party’s nominee for president after winning a raucous primary race despite alarm from the party establishment and the country at large about his divisiveness. “He is a loser,” photographer Spencer Tunick said after the sunrise shoot in which 130 women took part. One hundred of them will be featured in the picture to be unveiled shortly before the November 8 election. The installation took place on private property in sight of the arena where the convention kicks off on Monday, the focus of multiple groups of protesters expected to take to the streets this week. The owner gave permission, said Tunick, and so while public nudity in Cleveland is illegal, it was not possible for police to intervene. Entitled “Everything She Says Means Everything,” the photo art featured women of all shapes, colors and sizes participated, holding up mirrors toward the arena. Tunick’s website said the mirrors reflected “the knowledge and wisdom of progressive women and the concept of ‘Mother Nature’… onto the convention center, cityscape and horizon of Cleveland.” The artist is well known for his sometimes startling images of nude people. But Tunick told AFP he thought it was his most political shoot ever, saying he felt compelled to take action. Just voting against Trump at the ballot box in November was not enough. “I have two daughters and a wife,” he said. “I can’t believe the language and rhetoric of hate against women and minorities coming from the Republican Party.”