Germany has agreed to return all Nigeria stolen artefacts by 2021.

This was disclosed on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The meeting was attended by Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and a German Government delegation.

The artefacts are to be returned to Benin, Edo State capital.

Details later..

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The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu made  this known in a statement.

Issa-Onilu revealed that the six aspirants have bought, completed, and submitted the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.

These aspirants include the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dr Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee, and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

The party’s publicist also informed that the APC is committed to ensuring due diligence and transparency in the screening exercise and learning from its recent shocking experiences.

In a bid to avoid any lapses in the process, he said the party has made the submitted information and documents of the governorship aspirants available to its members and the public for verification of claims.

He explained that this was also necessary to support the screening panel with information or any objection to the claims contained in the submission by the aspirants.

“Consequently, the various submissions will be displayed at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja and in Benin City, the Edo State capital from Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th June 2020 for claims and objections.

The statement read, “We are inviting party members and indeed members of the public to assist the screening committee by scrutinising the information, credentials and documents provided by the governorship aspirants and availing the Screening Committee of counter and correct information, if applicable”.

He informed that the APC had released its timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2020 governorship primary elections in Edo State, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.

He added that sales of nomination and expression of interest forms had taken place at the APC National Secretariat between May 20 and June 2, 2020.

The APC spokesman stated that the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents was June 3, and publication of claims and objections would end on Tuesday next week before the screening of the aspirants on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

According to him,  this would be followed by Screening Appeal on June 12 before the primary election and election appeal scheduled for June 22 and 24, respectively.

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The event which held at the Sport Complex of University of Benin, Edo State saw the emergence of Lagos State coming after Oyo State as second while Delta State took the third position.

According to reports, twenty-six States partook in the 2019 opening parade of NAFEST which attracted the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki and members of his cabinet and top artists in the nation, performing for the audience.

The governor promised to continue his administration’s support for arts and culture so as to bring back the glories of the old which exemplified the culture and values of the Yoruba race.

The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun who spoke on behalf of the governor on Wednesday in Ibadan affirmed that of all the States that participated at the event, Oyo came first and the governor could not hide his joy over the outcome.

According to the Commissioner, twenty-six States participated in the cultural quiz competitions, adding that Oluwagbotemi Olawale of Orita Mefa Baptist Model College, Ibadan and Mercy Abidoye of God’s Blessing Comprehensive College, Ibadan represented Oyo State in the competition.

Dr Olatubosun disclosed further that “Oyo State emerged as the first position in the keenly contested Cultural Competitions while Lagos took second position and Delta and Enugu made third and fourth positions respectively.

“This event has provided an opportunity for the States of the federation to bond for the progress of the nation and we urge the federal government to do everything, especially in the culture and tourism sector to enhance unity and propel economic growth,” he added

Dr Olatunbosun said the year 2019 theme which was “Our Royalty, our Pride” was apt considering the fact that the festival has continued to serve as a veritable platform for fostering national unity, social integration, friendship, love, mutual understanding and cooperation as well as cultural exchanges among Nigerians from different ethnics and religious backgrounds.

The Commissioner, however, reiterated the commitments of Oyo State Government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde to partner with investors for development of cultural tourism potentials in the State which will include the upgrading and renovation of tourist sites and historical monuments.

The event which held at four different venues in Edo State like the University of Benin Sports complex, Oba of Benin’s palace, the Benin Golf Club and Oba Akenzua cultural Center was billed to end on Saturday.

The post Makinde Lauds Contingency As Oyo Beats Lagos, Delta, Others To Emerge First At NAFEST 2019 first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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The state governor, Godwin Obaseki revealed his administration’s plan to work with IITA after he gave a speech at the international conference on Water-Energy-Food Systems (WEFS) in Sub-Saharan Africa that is being organized by the Pennsylvania State University in collaboration with IITA and the University of Ibadan, in IITA-Ibadan campus, 26-27 June.

In a meeting with IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga; Governor Obaseki said his administration’s vision was to establish a cassava production zone of at least 50,000 hectares where cassava will be produced and processed with the active participation of smallholder farmers and the private sector.

Though the focus will be on cassava, the state is looking beyond cassava to other crops that Edo state has comparative advantage.

“We would want IITA to give us a plan that is actionable,” Governor Obaseki said.

Grown by over 3.3 million farmers in Nigeria, cassava has transformed from a food security crop to a cash crop in Nigeria, as most industrial companies are seeking after the root crop as a source of raw material in confectionary, brewery and pharmaceuticals.

IITA to hold training on Novel Techniques for Weed Management in Cassava Farming Systems

Dr Sanginga said the use of cassava today transcend gari—a grated and roasted form of cassava that is a source of food to millions of people in Africa.

“Today, companies are coming to IITA and asking us how we can support them in setting cassava farm as a source of raw material,” Dr Sanginga said.

Located in the oil-rich delta of Nigeria, Edo state is endowed in both agriculture and oil resources. However, like other parts of Nigeria, the state is confronted with unemployed youths as employment opportunities in the government thins out.

Governor Obaseki said his plan is to create wealth, food security, and jobs from agriculture and to put the state on the path of prosperity.

He said that his state’s approach to agriculture was to treat it as a business that would bring economic and sustainable development to the state.

Earlier at the conference on Water-Energy-Food Systems (WEFS) in Sub-Saharan Africa, both Dr Sanginga and Governor Obaseki recognized the imperatives of the theme, as they spoke in the context of limited/dwindling natural resources and a growing population and a changing climate.

The two leaders agreed it was time to pay greater attention to the nexus between water, energy and food systems so that the advancement of one component does not affect the other negatively.

The conference organizers said the objective of the meeting was to build an alliance of partners committed to developing a significant Water-Energy-Food Nexus initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa. And to develop partnerships between institutions or individuals interested in immediate collaboration around specific Nexus research, education or outreach projects.

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