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The 2017 diary: May

By Victor Oshisada
14 January 2018   |   2:46 am
May 2. Obasanjo, Babangida, Abubakar meet over Buhari’s health. Former Nigerian leaders, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalam Abubakar met over the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari. The leaders at Babangida’s Minna residence, considered all constitutional options available in the face of the inability of President Buhari ‘’ to effectively function as…

Femi Kuti

May 2. Obasanjo, Babangida, Abubakar meet over Buhari’s health. Former Nigerian leaders, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalam Abubakar met over the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The leaders at Babangida’s Minna residence, considered all constitutional options available in the face of the inability of President Buhari ‘’ to effectively function as President’’.

May 3. Over 102 journalists killed in 2016, says UNESCO. Not less than 102 journalists were killed in 2016, as murder remained the most tragic form of censorship. The Director General of the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova disclosed that in Abuja.

May 5. At last, Buhari appears in public. In a rare public appearance since returning from a medical vacation in the United Kingdom (UK), President Muhammadu Buhari joined other Muslim faithfuls to participate in the Juma’at prayers in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

May 6. Over 80 Chibok girls regain freedom. More than 80 out of about 276 Chibok school girls abducted mid – April 2014, by Boko Haram insurgents regained freedom from their abductors. They were released in Banki Town close to the Nigeria-Cameroonian border and awaiting airlift, were abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, as they prepared for their final examination.

May 7. President Buhari begins fresh medical vacation in London. President Muhammadu Buhari left for London, United Kingdom, to meet with his doctors. He said the length of his stay in London would be determined by his medical team. He transmitted a letter to the National Assembly in that respect.

*US raises hope for return of $500 million Abacha loot. Efforts to recover some $500 million worth of US-based proceeds of corruption traced to former Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, took a post positive turn.

May 8. Ambode orders VIOs to vacate Lagos roads. The Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode ordered Vehicles Inspection Officers (VIOs) to be withdrawn from Lagos roads, sequel to complaints from the public about unruly and unprofessional conducts of some of the officers.

*Femi Kuti breaks World Saxophone record. Femi Kuti broke the world record for the longest single note held on a saxophone, which was set in 1997 by Kenny G. The record stood at 45 minutes 38 seconds, But Femi did 46 minutes 38 seconds.

May 9. Senate Chides Buhari for calling VP Co-ordinator’. The Senate declared that Professor Yemi Osinbajo should function as Acting President pending the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from medical vacation. It overruled Buhari’s statement that Osinbajo would only “coordinate the affairs of government as the President”.

May 11. Northern elders vow to defend Buhari presidency. The Northern Elders Forum (NIF) vouched to resist any move to undermine the current administration on account of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ill- health. The forum also backed “genuine” restructuring of the nation, adding that the north was never at any time opposed to the move.

May 12. Domestic help absconds with employer’s ₦ 13.3 million jewellery, others. Idara Archibong, a 29 year-old domestic help, who allegedly stole her employer’s ₦ 13.3 million property, including Jewellery, was brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

May 15. Anglican Diocese of Lagos donates N28 million for Youths empowerment. In a bid to reduce unemployment among Nigerian youths, The Anglican Diocese of Lagos disbursed the sum of N28,375,000 to empower 52 youths of the Church in various entrepreneurial programmes. Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, Reverend Adebola Ademowo, made the donation.

May 17. Don Wins 2017 Fulbright African Scholar Fellowship. A Senior Lecturer in the department of Biochemistry of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Doctor Folashade Olajuyigbe was named winner of the 2017 Fulbright African Research Scholar Programme (ARSP) award of advance research in the United States for 2017/2018 academic year. The FUTA don was to be affiliated with Rutgers. The State University of New Jersey.

May 18. Three workers killed, 16 rescued as building collapses in Lagos. It was a pathetic scene at 4, Richard Abimbola Street, Ilasamaja, Isolo area of Lagos as a three-storey building, under construction, collapsed leaving three workers dead and 16 rescued.

May 19. Osinbajo would assent to a Budget. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo received 2017 Appropriation Bill passed in May by the National Assembly Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enong, presented the document to Osinbajo in a close-door session at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

May 20. Osinbajo moves to reset Budget calendar. Worried by late implementation of the capital project due to late commencements, Acting President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, issued a presidential directive, which would thenceforth (until a Constitutional amendment) mandated the executive to submit Budgetary proposals to the National Assembly latest by September of every year.

May 21. Judiciary under threat, says Justice Onnogen. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, declared that the nation’s Judiciary was under threat. Justice Onnoghen called on Nigerians to petition any judicial officer involved in corruption or unprofessional conduct in any part of the country, to the National Judicial Council which he headed.

May 22. Canada invites Ooni to 150th Independence Anniversary. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi was invited as special guest of the Canadian Government to grace the country’s 150th Independence Anniversary celebrations in July, 2017. The special invitation was conveyed to the Ile Ife monarch in his palace by a Canadian Member of Parliament (MP), Ramesh Semgha.

May 23. Customs intercepts 440 pump action rifles, others at Lagos port. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted a cache of arms and ammunitions imported through the Tin Can Port in Apapa, Lagos. The 440 pieces of assorted pump action rifles, which originated from Turkey were concealed inside a 40-footer container with numbers PONU 210024/122G1 carrying POP powder used in designing house ceiling. It was the second seizure of arms in 2017.

May 24. Awori are the original Indigenes of Lagos, say historians. Speakers at the Lagos History Lecture explained that the Awori were the original indigenes of Lagos. They also described the claim that Lagos was no man’s land as erroneous. The keynote speaker was Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Prof Hakeem Danmole.

May 25. Magu vows to wipe out corruption in 12 months. The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Malam Ibrahim Magu, declared that his agency would wipe out corruption in the country within the following 12 months.

May 28. Be ready to make sacrifice, Osinbajo tells Nigerians. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo urged Nigerians to stop the blame game and contribute their quota for the greatness of the country. He spoke at the 2017 Democracy Day interdenominational church service with the theme “The Dry Bones shall Live Again”, Ezekiel 37: 11, held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, to mark the nation’s 18 years of democracy.

May 30. Sit-at-home order grounds South East. The sit-down-at-home directive issued by the agitators in honour of their colleagues killed in the struggle for the realization of Biafra Republic recorded a huge success in South East and parts of South South regions.

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