Soyinka, Nigeria shining light – Tinubu
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President Bola Tinubu has described renowned playwright and novelist, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as a shining light of Nigeria whose influence transcends the Nigerian space.
Celebrating Soyinka’s 90th birthday, Tinubu named the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos after the Nobel Laurel winner.
The theatre is now to be known as ‘Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts’.
In a congratulatory message personally signed by the president on Thursday, Tinubu maintained that Soyinka deserves celebration, noting that he has been taking risks for the country since he was in his 20s.
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Meta lifts bans on Trump’s Facebook, Instagram accounts
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Meta said Friday it was lifting restrictions on US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, ending measures put in place after his supporters violently stormed the US Capitol in 2021.
It said that “former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended indefinitely a day after his supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and it was determined he had praised people engaged in violence on social media.
His accounts were reinstated in February 2023 but with a threat of penalties for future breaches — an additional restriction that Meta lifted on Friday.
FG awards $21m contract to meter 187 oil stations
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The Federal Executive Council announced the award of a $21m contract for the metering of 187 crude oil flow stations in Nigeria, to properly account for the country’s production and exports.
It also disclosed that the council awarded another contract for the deployment of software that would enable the government to monitor the movement of Nigeria’s crude from the point of loading of every cargo in Nigeria up to the point of the cargo’s destination.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, stated that the initiatives would further give clarity on the volumes of crude produced in-country as well as the amount exported to other nations.
He said, “Two days ago, the Federal Executive Council meeting was held, presided over by Mr President, where we took some very bold steps to reorganise the oil and gas sector. One of the key approvals by the Federal Executive Council has to do with awarding a contract for the metering of our 187 flow stations across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
Doguwa dumps APC, decries exclusion from party’s affairs
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Senator Mas’ud El-Jibril Doguwa on Friday resigned his membership of the All Progressive Congress and defected to the Peoples’ Democratic Party.
In a press statement he signed, Doguwa said he decided after wide-ranging consultations with his supporters, colleagues, and political associates.
He said he was “grossly underutilised” and excluded from the party’s forums and decision-making processes.
He further expressed disappointment with the APC government’s policies, describing them as “anti-people oriented which cause more harm than good to ordinary citizens”.
He emphasised that experienced politicians like himself cannot afford to stay idle and would continue to work for the development of the state and country.