Denrele Edun Joins Beauty Queens from India, Botswana and South Africa to Spearhead Positive Change with Aurora International Foundation’s Kits for Kids Initiative

For the past 3 years, the Aurora International Foundation has been quietly impacting the lives of needy kids in public schools in various states in Nigeria.Thanks to the recently concluded Kits For Kids Africa (IV) initiative held in Kwara State, the spotlight has been turned on Nigeria as a hub of development for Education and Tourism.

Beauty Queens from India, Botswana, South Africa visited Nigeria and were fully involved in the propagation of Education & Tourism in Nigeria as they travelled to various communities with the Kits For Kids Africa team & a few Nigerian celebrities, generously making donations of Brand New School bags, Sandals, Socks, Stationery, Exercise Books and many more to thousands of needy kids in public schools all the while enlightening them on the benefits of education and encouraging them to strive for greater heights in the future.

Equally notable, was the amazing photo shoot that was held at the highest waterfall in West Africa: Owu Falls. The scenery was indeed a beauty to behold – an untapped tourist hub…a diamond in the rough.

Speaking on the success of her foundation’s outing, ex-Miss Tourism Nigeria, Tomi Salami expressed her gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Microsoft, Zuma Energy, Bubbles and every single supporter who contributed in one way or the other to the success of Kits For Kids Africa; stating that supporting initiatives like this is a proper way to invest in the future.

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  She said,

  “Words cannot express how grateful I am to God, my ever supportive family, the Kwara State Government, all our sponsors/partners/supporters and every member of #TeamKitsForKids. It was truly an amazing experience – hectic and time bound but very rewarding. The children in the schools we visited were ecstatic! They were truly inspired to look beyond their circumstances & to hold on to bigger dreams. I hope we are able to receive more support and thus cover more grounds on our next outing. One of the highlights of our stay in Kwara State was our visit to Owu Falls. The feel of the ice-cold showers from the falls on our skin was mind-blowing. Legend says the water falls faster & more heavily when you call its name…We hope for investor interests & massive infrastructural development so that spot can be turned into a goldmine for tourism.”

  It was indeed an admirable effort and this speaks of the promise of even more to come all over the country & Africa as Aurora Charity Foundation continues striving to bring about positive Change.
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John Kerry Visits Sultan of Sokoto, Lauds his Efforts in Promoting Religious Tolerance

• FROM LEFT: GOV. AMINU TAMBUWAL OF SOKOTO STATE; THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, MR JOHN KERRY; AND THE SULTAN OF SOKOTO, ALHAJI SA’AD ABUBAKAR III , DURING KERRY’S ARRIVAL ON A COURTESY VISIT TO THE SULTAN’S PALACE IN SOKOTO ON TUESDAY(23/8/16). 5898/23/8/2016/ BRM/BJO/NAN    

The United States’ Secretary of State, John Kerry, is currently in Nigeria.

On Tuesday, he visited the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar where he lauded the efforts of the Sultan in promoting religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians.

He said that the Sultanate Council was building a community of tolerance for peace, progress and political stability in Nigeria.

He said that the United States would continue to identify itself with the Sultanate in strengthening religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians.

He said that being the first secretary of state to visit the seat of the caliphate, all hands should be on deck towards strengthening religious knowledge among Nigerians.

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar had earlier expressed delight at the visit.

He said that the council would continue to promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians for the overall political growth of the country.

He explained that religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians remained the principal objective of the Sultanate in mobilising Nigerians to tolerate one another for peace, progress and political stability of the country .

Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who accompanied Kerry to the palace, said the state government would continued to strengthen peaceful coexistence among the people, irrespective of religious, tribal and political differences.

“We don’t discriminate on religious, tribal, ethnic or political affiliations, as we accommodate all for peace and harmony,” he said.

Kerry had a closed door meeting with Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar and some leaders of the two major religions.

Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara and Inuwa Abdulkadir, Deputy National Chairman of APC North West, were present during the courtesy visit on the Sultan.

I named my dog “Buhari” because President Buhari is my Hero – Trader

The trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, who was arrested in Sango-Ota, Ogun state, for naming his and inscribing “Buhari” on his dog has been released.

His release was facilitated by the intervention of both the Serkin Hausa and President-General of non-indigenes in the state.

Speaking to Vanguard after his release, Chinakwe, who is 30 years old, said that he named his dog “Buhari” because President Buhari has been his hero since he was military ruler over 30 years ago.

Narrating his ordeal, he said:

It is annoying because the complainant is from Niger Republic and I am sure he is one of those illegal aliens in this country.  He connived with one Police Sergeant from the Northern part of Nigeria called Musa, who works at Sango Police division to humiliate me.

Worse still, the Divisional Police Officer there, did not help matters as he refused to entertain any plea from me after I was arrested that Saturday night. He simply ordered his men to throw me into the cell.

I did not commit any offence. I named my beloved pet dog Buhari, who is my hero. My admiration for Buhari started far back when he was a military Head of State. It continued till date that he is a civilian President.

After reading his dogged fight against corruption, which is like a canker worm eating into the very existence of this country, I solely decided to rename my beloved dog which I called Buhari, after him. I did not know that I was committing an offence for admiring Buhari.

I was intimidated and thrown inside the cell with hardened criminals for about three days. While I was there, the complainant from Niger Republic and Sergeant Musa from the North kept on taunting me saying people from my part of the country are trouble makers and that after detaining me, they will throw me into prison where I will die unsung.

Even when my wife came with our baby on her back, they stopped her from giving me food.  One of my friends that came to see me was also maltreated.

While taking me to Eleweran the next day, they handcuffed and chained me together with that my friend. Fortunately, when we got to police headquarters, both the Commissioner of Police and other officers were angry with their colleagues at Sango-Ota.

They were wondering loudly why I was brought to the headquarters over such a minor case. It’s very unfortunate that I have to be so humiliated in my own country because of the antics of a foreigner in connivance with my brother from the North.

Actress Angela Okorie celebrates Birthday with Intimate Dinner & Grand Party

Nollywood actress Angela Okorie hosted her close friends in the entertainment industry to an intimate dinner last night as she celebrated her birthday.

The actress has been sharing new photos of herself all week leading up to her special day and last night for the dinner she went with a short black skirt and a pink sequin top as her birthday outfit.

EFCC Arrests former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa over Alleged N350m Campaign Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, re – arrested the former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa in connection with alleged campaign scandal at the last presidential election.

Udenwa, who was the State Co-ordinator for The Presidential Campaign Organisation in Imo State was said to have collected the sum of N350m from the former senator representing Kaduna South and Director of Finance for the PDP presidential campaign organisation, Nenadi Usman.

The suspect, in his statement to the Commission admitted receiving the money via Diamond Bank account No. 0058805692 and 005950791 respectively on the 14th and 28th of January 2015 in three separate instalments.

He added that the money came from a company named Joint Trust Dimension Limited. This same company was charged alongside Nenadi Usman and the Media Director of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode before Federal High Court Lagos on a similar allegation.

Investigation however revealed that Achike Udenwa and one Viola Onwuliri, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Minister for Education, who was his deputy at the Presidential Campaign Organization were the two signatories to the Diamond Bank account that received the money.

Upon his arrest, Udenwa was immediately granted administrative bail by the commission with condition that he should be reporting to the commission at an appointed time. But while enjoying his administrative bail, Udenwa chose to deliberately skip reporting, thereby compelling the commission to revoke his administrative bail pending his arraignment soon.

Achike Udenwa was a governor of Imo State under the flagship of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 1999 and 2007 and became a minister of Commerce and Industry between 2008 and 2010.

Edo Governorship Election: My Missing Certificates Have been Found – Godwin Obaseki

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the September 10 election in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has said that the original copies of his academic credentials have been found.

Obaseki submitted photocopies of his credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with a sworn affidavit stating that he misplaced his certificates while moving his office from one place to another.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Monday described as “flimsy” and “unconvincing”, his reasons for not submitting his original certificates to INEC.

Speaking at an interactive session organised by civil societies for governorship candidates in Benin, Obaseki said:

I have found them. The truth is that I have not had any reason to look for them in the last 25 years. I know that I kept them somewhere in a safe box and I had photocopies.

When I needed them for the exercise, I could not find them. So, I swore to an affidavit that I cannot find the originals.

I took the photocopies to the institutions that issued them and they certified the photocopies.

So when the whole controversy started raging, my cousin called me from New York and said, ‘But your originals are here. I said, ‘Please, send them to me now’.