DripNote Blog

Processes leading to the premiere of Okafor’s law a movie by actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli were underway when she got a court injunction that stopped the premiere. Someone accused the popular actress of "stealing". Okafor’s Law was supposed to be premiered at IMAX cinema, Lekki, on Friday night and scheduled to show at the cinemas on March 31. While addressing guests at the premiere, Oboli said she chose to respect the court injunction as a law abiding citizen while describing the court process as bullying. “I’m so honoured that you’re all here today, thank you so much. Thank you for honouring me, thank you for your support over the years, thank you for always being there when I call. It means so much to me, and I don’t take it for granted,” she said. “I was really looking forward to showing you the movie tonight. The movie screened at Toronto International Film Festival, Stockholm International Film Festival and ...

ABRAKA- SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have again cruelly slaughtered a 50-year-old staff of the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Mr. Sunday Idama, at his cassava farmland in Ovre-Abraka community, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State. Mr. Idama, a father of 14 children, married to three wives had gone to his farm, last Friday, to mount surveillance after discovering that herdsmen were allegedly constantly uprooting his cassava and feeding their cows with them. It was gathered that Idama, who went to the farm with his motorcycle encountered the herdsmen same night and challenged them. But they pounced on him with machetes, cutting him on the hand, leg, face and everywhere until he gave up the ghost. Police confirm killing Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the killing of Idama when contacted by Vanguard, saying that the police evacuated the remains to Ufuoma Clinic in the area for autopsy and investigatio...

* Mr President set to overrule DSS There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari will insist on Mr. Ibrahim Magu becoming the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the Senate has twice turned down his confirmation. The President appears set to overrule the Department of State Services (DSS) whose report had said that Magu was not fit for the seat. The man has helped Nigeria recover more money than all EFCC bosses put together in the same period, so who are those that are scared of him? The President, it was learnt, will soon make his position on the embattled acting EFCC boss known. A Presidency source who spoke with our correspondent in confidence, told The Nation that Buhari has a soft spot for Magu. The source, an insider in power politics in the Presidency, said: “Personally, the President prefers Magu and he is standing by him. As at this week, the position of the President has not changed. “Th...

Like sea creatures in ocean’s depth, several prominent Nigerians have been grappling not to sink in the murky waters of certificate scandals, Punch's Bayo Akinloye writes. “I’ll never resign!” his gentle voice echoed through his expansive office, as his body shook like a man being led inevitably to the gallows as he addressed journalists in a press conference. The grandeur of his office as the Speaker, House of Representatives, was unmistakable with his retinue of security details and aides. There were five rooms adjoining and leading to his expansive official personal office: the security details, receptionists, private secretaries, aides, chief of staff and aid-de-camp. As the Number Four citizen of Nigeria, he could wield enormous power and would do anything to remain in power – as he had already lied his way to become the fourth most powerful person in the most populous black nation on earth. The Ahmadu Bello University connection E...

Manager Gareth Southgate says England can learn from Germany’s consistent success under Joachim Loew, ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against the world champions. The clash in Dortmund is a chance for Southgate to impose his vision for England after four unbeaten games as caretaker coach led to his full-time appointment in November. “We have to change the way we think and the way we work because we have not had the consistent success of our opponents,” Southgate said. “They are a great model for us to look at. We don’t want to copy anyone, but you have to respect that they have reached the semi-finals and finals of major tournaments and won things.” Germany and England’s records at major tournaments is chalk and cheese. England’s best performance in recent years was a run to the quarters at the 2006 World Cup. Since Loew took charge of Germany that year they have reached at least the semi-finals of every major t...

Former member of the House of Representatives, Engr. Bamidele Faparusi is one of the aspirants for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the forthcoming governorship election. In this interview he speaks on alleged foibles of the incumbent governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose and his readiness for the contest. Excerpts: What is your assessment of Governor Fayose’s political standing in Ekiti? As we talk now, Fayose does not have a political party. The faction of PDP he belongs to has been nullified by the court in Ekiti State. The faction which he has been working against has been declared as the authentic and constitutionally recognized faction of the party. So, Fayose does not have control over the structure of his own party in Ekiti State. The PDP in Ekiti does not recognise him. And I am looking up to the time the state chapter of the party will summon the courage to expel him from the party. That shows the level of leadership he has provided. He c...

President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump is to have an office in the White House, her lawyer says. The 35-year-old will have security clearance and access to classified information, but no official title or salary when she works in the West Wing. She will serve as her father's "eyes and ears" while providing broad-ranging advice, her attorney told Politico. Ms Trump, who owns a fashion brand, will join husband Jared Kushner, who is a senior adviser to the president. America's other next first lady, Ivanka Trump? Kellyanne Conway criticised for Ivanka plug Ivanka Trump clothing brand sales 'boom' Are the Trumps the next political dynasty? The US first daughter said in a statement: "While there is no modern precedent for an adult child of the president, I will voluntarily follow all of the ethics rules placed on government employees. "I will continue to offer my father my candid advice and counsel, as I have for my entir...

In the atmosphere, the seas and around the poles, climate change is reaching disturbing new levels across the Earth. That's according to a detailed global analysis from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It says that 2016 was not only the warmest year on record, but it saw atmospheric CO2 rise to a new high, while Arctic sea ice recorded a new winter low. The "extreme and unusual" conditions have continued in 2017, it says. Complete picture Reports earlier this year from major scientific bodies - including the UK's Met Office, Nasa and NOAA - indicated that 2016 was the warmest year on record. The WMO's State of the Global Climate 2016 report builds on this research with information from 80 national weather services to provide a deeper and more complete picture of the year's climate data. Compared with the 1961-1990 reference period, 2016 was 0.83 degrees C warmer than the average. It was around 1.1C above the pre- industrial...

Dear Bunmi, My husband is a bully and the kids and I are scared of him to the point that I can no longer bear it . He beat the kid often and has threatened to deal with me if I leave. The only thing is that I don’t have anyone to turn to. My mother lives in our hometown and I’ve lost contact with all my friends. Please help. Uju by e-mail. DearUju, I receive loads of letters from abused women all the time and they almost always say that they have “no one to turn to.” This is because as part of the abuse, the man has cut off his partner’s contact with other people. The first thing you need to do urgently is to get to know other people. Keep in touch with your mum and make friends with people around you. With outside help, you would get your confidence back enough to cope with your marriage. I’m not saying you should not take your husband’s threat seriously. But with support, you’ll get more confidence. If need be, ale...

Dear Bunmi, My boyfriend and I are in our late twenties and we live together. We earn good salaries, have a car each and I love him very much. However, since we’ve started living together, I’ve discovered that I’m usually bad-tempered with him. When an argument hots up, I lash out at him though I usually feel contrite afterwards. We usually argue about when we should get married but he always sees no need to rush into it as he puts it. He’s now started reacting to my violence and has threatened to retaliate if I continue. How do I curb this? Ekaete by e-mail. Dear Ekaete, I guess the fact that your boyfriend sees no reason in getting married now that you’re both living together has made you a frustrated partner. But domestic violence is not the answer. If you want marriage and he doesn’t, then you have to decide whether or not to stay in the relationship. Have a talk together and decide which would be the way forward for both ...

The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali will not appear before the Senate Tuesday, as expected, based on a law suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday. The writ of Summons in the Suit marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/207/2017, filed before the court yesterday by a lawyer, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, has asked that the status quo be maintained, pending the determination of the matter before it. The plaintiff is contending, among others, that it was not within the powers of the Senate to dictate to Ali, who was appointed by the President pursuant to the President’s powers under sections 5 and 171 of the Constitution, how to conduct himself.

Vanguardngr.local-report.com, like vanguardnigeria.org is another dangerous clone trying to pass off as vanguardngr.com, the website of Vanguard Newspapers,Kirikiri Lagos. These criminals continue to steal our identity for nefarious purposes. They post untrue and false stories that readers erroneously believe are from Vanguard newspapers or the online platform : vanguardngr.com. Vanguard newspapers disown these mutants who are out to rape the conscience of the undiscerning publics. Readers should beware of the fake websites. -Editor

We could predict the outcome of the season- opening Australian Grand Prix, but we might as well go the whole hog and say which drivers and teams will be the best and worst come Abu Dhabi. Then, in November, we can turn around to our friends and say: "I told you so." Or maybe not. Joining us on this crazy trip of predictions is chief F1 writer Andrew Benson, who explains his reasons for his forecasts. After which, you can probably get them all completely wrong as well. Andrew's predictions "Let's make one thing clear before we start - this is a bit of fun, based on not very much evidence at all. So let's not fall out if it's wrong. "Having said that, pre-season testing did give some indications about how the year might shape up. No-one would be surprised if Mercedes turned up in Melbourne and blitzed everyone again. But it does not look that way right now. So assuming the picture so far is accurate, let's take a deep breath an...

ABUJA-Presidency said on Tuesday that it is elated that majority of Nigerians were still in love with President Muhammadu Buhari and his effort of his government to reposition Nigeria. Muhammadu Buhari It also said that the President was fulfilling his campaign promises to Nigerians, particularly in stimulating the economy for job creation, anti- corruption campaign and security of lives and property. The Presidency spoke through the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina while receiving a delegation of Northern Youths Initiative for Peace and Good Governance in Abuja. He urged Nigerians to keep faith with the administration’s commitment to take “Nigeria to the Promised Land.” Adesina said: “I am glad that majority of Nigerians are still with President Buhari. “The excitement and jubilation, around the country, that greeted his return to Nigeria recently is a clear testimony of the love, confidence an...

ABUJA— THE Senate, yesterday, invited the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, over intervention fund implementation, but did not fix any date for him to appear. Emefiele It also summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir Lawal, to appear before it tomorrow as part of moves to get his side on the ongoing investigation into claims that funds earmarked for humanitarian crisis in the North-East were mismanaged. Emefiele, according to the upper legislative chamber, is to appear before it to throw more light on the progress the apex bank has so far made in the use of its intervention facilities to assist in the strengthening of the country’s economy. The decision of the Senate was sequel to a motion, The Need for the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to Implement its Intervention Funding Programmes to Qualified Nigerian Companies and Exporters, sponsored by Senator Mao Ohuabunwu (PDP, Abia North). Also, th...

In the zone If you've ever travelled to another country, you may have had to change the time on your watch or phone when you got there. Or you may have watched a show or a football game live on TV, and noticed it was dark there while it was still daylight where you were. Have you ever wondered why that is? Every country in the world is located within a time zone. Let's find out what they are and why we have them in the first place. Brain Freeze Because the Earth spins on its axis, different parts of our planet receive light from the Sun, while others are in darkness. Watch Brain Freeze's Doctor Knowles and Professor McCork explain more. Doctor Knowles, Professor McCork and Ms Hucklebuck investigate time zones and find out why the Earth spins on its axis. Earth is divided by imaginary vertical lines known as meridians, which run from the North to the South Pole. Time zones are loosely based on these lines. The prime meridian from which all others ar...

ASABA —Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, mobile court sitting in Asaba, presided over by Magistrate Victoria Ghomorai, has convicted 45 traffic offenders, discharged three and remanded two in custody. Offences for which the offenders were convicted ranged from failure to install speed limiting device, drivers’ license violation, overloading, seat belt violation, among others. However, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Delta State, Corps Commander Rindom Kumven, has advised motorists to install the speed limiting device in their vehicles as its advantages outweigh its disadvantages.

A protein in spider venom may help protect the brain from injury after a stroke, according to research. Scientists found a single dose of the protein Hi1a worked on lab rats. They said it showed "great promise as a future stroke treatment" but had not yet been tested in human trials. The Stroke Association said the research was at its early stages but it would "welcome any treatment that has the potential to reduce the damage caused by stroke". The researchers, from the University of Queensland and Monash University, travelled to Fraser Island in Australia to hunt for and capture three potentially deadly Australian funnel web spiders. "We regularly collect spiders from Fraser Island off the south coast of Queensland," explained lead researcher Prof Glenn King. "The reason for this is that funnel-web spiders dig burrows that can be as deep as 20-30 cm. Thus, digging them up from hard clay soils is very difficult. Fraser Island is...

ABUJA —Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has asked contractors handling various projects in the Niger Delta region to return to site within 30 days or face prosecution. Also included were contractors handling projects for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Osinbajo specifically directed that the list of all contractors who did not comply with the directive within the stipulated period be compiled and submitted to the Ministry of Justice and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation and prosecution. Osinbajo The 30-day ultimatum, which was given at a recent inter-ministerial working group followed the renewed Niger Delta interactive engagements of the current administration. It will be recalled that there have been series of consultative meetings between the Federal Government and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region initiated by the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF. The membership of the Niger Delta inter- ministerial group compris...

Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, has stated that nobody will be allowed to stop the progress of construction work at the Bille/ Bonny Jetty. Addressing youths near the project site after his inspection visit, yesterday, Governor Wike advised them to support and cooperate with the contractors. Wike He noted that the project is for the overall benefit of the residents of the area and the riverine communities of Bonny Island, Bille and Nembe in neighbouring Bayelsa State. The governor wondered why youths in the community have refused to be employed by the contractor, preferring to act as stumbling blocks to the smooth execution of the project. Stating that further efforts will be made to ensure that the youths of the area buy-into the project, Governor Wike noted that if such efforts fail, his administration will take stronger measures to protect the contractors to deliver the project on schedule. He said: “This project is crucial to our improvement of ...

Owerri— Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, yesterday, said his administration has given approval for “farm markets” to be established in the three senatorial zones of the state. Okorocha stated this through a release made available to newsmen in Owerri, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo. Chief Rochas Okorocha Okorocha made this statement while interacting with a group of traditional rulers from the state operating under the aegis of traditional rulers in agriculture who paid him courtesy call at his residence. He said: “Civil servants in the state have also been encouraged to get deeply involved in the ‘Back to Land for Agriculture’ programme of the state government. “The idea of traditional rulers in Imo State coming together to spearhead the fight against recession through agriculture is most welcome. “This is in tune with the rescue mission policy statement of back to land for agriculture which ...

A busker who was banned from Facebook for posting an Ed Sheeran cover says she was shocked to receive an apology from the singer himself. The star posted on Charlotte Campbell's page saying it had nothing to do with him. It's after the 27-year-old had put a short teaser of her full cover video on her Facebook page, and was then blocked for three days. Sheeran urged her to keep it up, saying he loves seeing people cover his work. Charlotte Campbell visited Newsbeat to tell us what exactly happened. "I was a bit thrown back by it all because I didn't know that I was doing anything wrong". Anyone who has tried to upload a commercial music video to Facebook will know the site doesn't like it, you get an alert saying it's not allowed. You can only post content to Facebook if it "doesn't violate intellectual property rights of someone else". The best way to make sure your posts don't do this, is to only post content you...

We have long known there is no such thing as a free lunch, but now it seems there is no such thing as a free coffee either. Waitrose is changing its offer for loyalty card members so they will have to buy something before being able to claim a "free tea or coffee" in store. The supermarket said it was just a "refinement" of the existing policy. But it has provoked mock outrage on social media from some of the chain's loyal shoppers. As one Twitter user put it: "A collective gasp from middle England as @waitrose announces you now have to *buy something* before indulging in free teas and coffees." Another joked: "We will speak of this day for years to come. Social historians will trace the #Islington #Coffee #Riots to this act of betrayal!" The offer of a free hot beverage for myWaitrose members has not been without controversy. In 2014, Labour raised concerns about the promotion, claiming it was hurting independent trader...