N-TIMZZYMEDIA BLOG

Armed with her 10-year post graduate degree in Theology, gospel singer, Kenny Saint Best, took her evangelism to another level when she was ordained a minister at her church, New Anointing Revival Assembly. But the newly ordained minister has said her new status would not affect her career as an artiste. “My ordination and career cannot clash because I do gospel music. I am a minister of God through my music and that is what people know me for. Towards the end of last year, I had a worship concert and it was like a re-introduction of myself going back into the ministry. I have always been doing gospel music and sometimes, I do street gospel music, songs that people on the streets can relate to and listen to without going to church. My ordination does not disturb my career; the only thing is that I would be doing more of worship songs than street gospel music,” she said. Even though she is one of the very few gospel a

neighbours of 37-year-old Chioma Ochemba, a commercial sex worker in Ayobo area of Lagos, took away her daughter, a seven-year-old girl as she threatened to kill the girl on Monday. Ochemba, an Imo State indigene, shocked her neighbours after she smashed a wood on the girl’s head, inflicting an injury that covered the child in blood, after accusing her of losing a N100 slippers she had bought for her the previous day. One of her neighbours, Mr. Busari Tajudeen, said he was forced to intervene when Ochemba angrily grabbed the girl by the neck and hit her with a piece of wood. Tajudeen promptly dragged the girl away from her and took the child to the Ayobo Police Division where a policewoman rushed her to the hospital for treatment. The girl was later treated and kept at the police station afterwards but the mother was nowhere to be found. it was learn't that Ochemba made no attempt to look for the girl but instead, dressed up that day and went to her overnight wor

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said the Federal Government’s plan to secure $1bn Eurobond, with re-payment lasting  till 2032, may plunge Nigeria into pro-longed economic misery. The governor, a vocal critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, on Friday challenged the government to clarify the beneficiaries of the bond, stating whether it would be both the federal government and the federating units or federal government alone. Fayose said, “What I’m even worried about and which they must explain to us is that you cannot get a bond without committing it to the source. “Is the repayment going to be made by direct deductions from Nigeria’s crude oil sales or from federal government share from the federation account? “If it is going to be made directly from proceeds of crude oil accruing to Nigeria as a country, then the bon

Thirty-two customers of Skye Bank Plc across different business locations have emerged winners in the ongoing Western Union campaign. The winners, who emerged through a raffle draw, won various prizes including N60,000 worth of shopping vouchers for 10 star customers, who received and sent money through Western Union; and N20,000 worth of shopping vouchers as consolation for 22 customers (11 receivers and 11 senders). The prizes will be officially presented to the winners in their domiciled branches, the lender said in a statement on Friday. The Group Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank, Mr. Ndubuisi Osakwe, said, “The campaign is meant to encourage increased patronage of the services of the Western Union money transfer franchise and is specifically targeted at those who collected their transferred money directly from any of the 300+ Skye Bank branches across Nigeria.” He also noted that the campaign, which commenced on December 5, 2016,

The naira hit a fresh low on the black market on Friday, quoted at 506 per dollar, as traders tested new levels to try to tempt dollar holders to sell. The currency has hovered near the 500 level for more than two weeks and, with demand for dollars swelling, crossed the threshold as the unapproved retail market opened on Friday, according to Reuters. On the official interbank market, lenders had traded only $1.30m at 315 per dollar by 1130 GMT, traders said, as the Central Bank of Nigeria continued to ration dollar supplies. Meanwhile, the naira tumbled against the United States dollar on the parallel market to 503 on Thursday, down from the 500 recorded on Wednesday. The local currency had closed at 499 and 498 on Tuesday and Monday, respectively. This came almost two weeks after the naira touched 500/dollar briefly and returned to 498/dollar. The local currency had been stable against the greenback for about three weeks. Economic and financial experts are divided over

While the nation has seen some improvement in its crude oil output, the fresh threat of production rise from the United States and Libya looks set to dampen Nigeria’s export of the commodity. The nation’s oil output, which was drastically reduced by militant attacks last year, recovered to an average of 1.64 million barrels per day last month from 1.5 million bpd in December, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. But production and exports of Nigeria’s popular crude grade, Forcados, continued to be shut in due to a sabotage-related spill on the subsea Forcados pipeline. Industry analysts have said the decision by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut output by over 1.2 million bpd, coupled with another 600,000 bpd cut by a group of non-OPEC countries, will tighten oil supply and result in higher crude oil prices. Analysts from Ecobank forecast oil prices to average $48.74 this year and

Experts in the aviation industry have said that Arik Air and other airlines’ travails should be blamed on the passive action of the Federal Government through the regulator, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, in its oversight functions. The Chief Executive Officer, Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd), said Arik’s problems had been single ownership; poor management structure, especially the absence of a management board; poor financial management and diversions of financial returns; divestment into other businesses; and recurring debts to major services providers. He said better regulation and close monitoring would have helped to reduce some of the problems faced by the airline and others. “It’s been long overdue. I recommended last year that government should assess the assets of Aero Contractors and Arik Air, and evaluate these against their debts, then take over the assets to start a new national carrier if there would be anything like that. T

A United States banker Walter Bigelow Wriston said that, “when a system of national currencies run by central banks is transformed into a global electronic market place driven by currency traders, power changes hands.” It is a pithy saying that has some proven truth in Nigeria. Nigeria is going in pricing circles with currency traders controlling monetary policies that favour their portfolios. But a cause for worry now is the reliance of the country on petrodollar from International Oil Companies, IOC to fund the importation of petroleum products. For almost a year now the paucity of foreign exchange has made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to go into an arrangement with IOCs to sell foreign currencies to importers of premium motor spirit, PMS or petrol. Alleged lack of transparency dogging the scheme has caused marketers drumbeat for upward review of petrol price which the vast majority of Nigerians are very much against. Nigerians are yet recovering

yellow,Danfo buses in Lagos Residents of Lagos have expressed mixed reactions over the plan by the state government to phase out the yellow commercial buses popularly called danfo. While some of the residents believed it would create more hardship for them, others argued that it was a welcome development. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had last Monday announced plans by his administrations to withdraw danfo buses from Lagos roads to reposition road transportation system in Lagos in line with its megacity status. The Governor noted that the development will evolve a more efficient, well-structured and world class mass transportation system that would facilitate easy movement within the city adding that well-structured transportation mode would be put in place to address the challenge. He said, “when I wake up in the morning and see all these yellow buses, Okada and all kinds of tricycles and we claim we are a mega city, that is not true and we must first ackno

Former Vice President and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on Nigerians of all faith to lift up President, Muhammadu Buhari in prayers. In a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja yesterday, the former Vice President noted that each and every one us is a mere mortal, irrespective of how great or highly accomplished we are. “We deserve the care and support of one another in trying times,” he said. Buhari and Atiku The Turakin Adamawa reminded Nigerians that President Buhari needs all the prayers and goodwill that he can get at this time, to enable him return from his medical vacation in the UK and continue with his God-ordained assignment of steering Nigeria to her next level of greatness. “We all go through trying times when we are not feeling in top form and the last thing we need in those times is mockery or ill will .”

 Wike welcomes Osinbajo Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo yesterday reiterated the preparedness of the Federal Government to develop the Niger Delta region. Osinbajo, who led other high powered Federal Government delegates including the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Ikachukwu; Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated this in Yenagoa during his visit to Bayelsa State as part of efforts to bring lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis. Gov. He however said the federal government alone could not solve the plethora of problems bedevilling the region and urged all stakeholders to take up the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability in the region. Thousands of Bayelsans defied the scorching sun to come out and welcome the Acting President whose fact finding visit to the state brought together for the first time, former Bayelsa governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and the incumbent, Hon Seriake Dickson, and their supporters under one r

  Living grand master of high-life music, Dr Victor Abimbola has retired from active musicianship due to his failing health and doctor’s standing instruction to desist from performances henceforth. This update was made public last weekend when the legend apparently missed from the usual ‘nightlife faithful gathering’ held every Saturday at the Stadium Hotel, Iyun Street, Surulere Lagos. We scooped that the celebrated trumpeter actually stopped attending his regular weekly shows and occasional performance for over one year when it became obvious that his health is failing steadily. Based on this, his doctor advised him strongly to cease immediately from performing. Victor Olaiya “Aside from attending his gigs, he no longer comes to work regularly as a result of age-related health issues, his manager, Gbenga Adewusi divulged. It is on record that Dr. Olaiya held sway in the mid 50’s which attracted the old Daily Times newspaper organization to go for him as the official band that entert