News
Ajimobi’s Son Hooks Governor Ganduje’s Daughter
KANO State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has consented to the marriage proposal between his daughter Fatima Umar Ganduje and Idris Ajimobi, the son of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state.
The marriage proposal was contracted on Friday at the palace of the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II who gave the father’s consent to the proposed union.
No fewer than 12 serving governors attended the event including governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos state, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state, Rotimi Akeredolu Ondo state as well as Adulfatah Ahmad of Kwara state.
Others are Bello Masari of Katsina state, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru Jigawa, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Sokoko, Abdal’aziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara state as well as the governor of Borno state Kashim Shettima among others.
The Emir of Kano who consented to the proposal on behalf of Governor Ganduje described the union as a way to cementing relationships as well as destroying stereotypes between south and northern Nigeria.
Citing from the Quran and Hadith, the Emir stated that tribalism and ethnicity that have being dividing factors in the country have no place in Islam.
He commended Governors Ganduje and Ajomobi for leading a good example for the people to follow for peaceful co-existence in the country.
‘’I am pleased that two leaders of this country at a time when this country is most at need of example, at a time when this country is most in need of reminders that we are all Nigerians, we are part of one common humanity descended from one man and one woman, made from the same earth decided to apply this teaching to show an example to all of us.
‘’The prophet of Allah said there is no supremacy for the Arab over the non Arab, or the non Arab over the Arab. No superiority for the light skinned over the black skinned or black skinned over the white skinned all of you are from Adam and Adam is from the earth.
The reason I quote this Hadith is to remind all of us that tribalism, racism and all these ‘’isms’’ that are based on ethnicity have no place in Islam.
‘’Marriages are unions especially when they come from prominent families. They are not just unions between boy and girl or man and woman, they are unions of people, they cement relationships, they improve understanding, they breed love and respect, they destroy stereotypes’’ Emir Sanusi emphasized.
Speaking on behalf of Ajimobi family governor Rauf Aregbesola thanked the Emir of Kano and Governor Ganduje for approving the proposal assuring that the union would be taken beyond mere union between two families.
‘’We expressed our sincere gratitude for the magnanimity, consideration and huge leadership you have displayed today in first admonishing us about the essence of this particular gathering that is beyond mere gathering between two families. This is a pointer to the need for our nation to struggle and retrieve that which we had carelessly lost over the years.
‘’The assurance I want to give on behalf of my brother from Ibadan is that we will take this beyond mere union between two families. We appreciate the need for us to work very hard for the unity, for the harmony between our peoples’’ he concluded.
News
Ford Trims Workforce: 4,000 Jobs to Go in Europe
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
News
Tinubu Dissolves UNIZIK Council, Sacks VC, Registrar, Otukpo Pro-Chancellor
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
News
Ekiti Workers to Earn N70,000 Minimum Wage as Govt Signs MoU with Unions
The Ekiti State Government has reached an agreement with labour leaders in the state, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists at a brief ceremony in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, announced that the payment would commence immediately.
She lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the welfare of workers despite the state’s limited resources.
“This development demonstrates the governor’s commitment to improving the livelihood of our workers,” Dr. Olomojobi stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by the administration to ensure prompt implementation.
In their remarks, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Olatunde Kolapo, expressed their appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for fulfilling his promises to workers.
They confirmed that the new minimum wage would apply to all cadres, including employees in ministries, parastatals, agencies, and pensioners.
The Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Comrade Femi Ajoloko, described the implementation as a fair and commendable adjustment.
“This decision reflects the governor’s magnanimity and his dedication to fostering a productive workforce in Ekiti State,” he said.
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