N14,500 For 1 Bag Of Rice, Nigerians Rush To Buy For Christmas

Reports have it that the demand for locally grown rice has increased among Nigerians especially in Cross River state as Christmas approaches.
This is unsurprising as the cost of imported rice has risen to between N22,000 and N26,000.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a Calabar resident Richard Nku had this to say:
“It is cheaper, more affordable and even sweeter than foreign rice. So I cannot spend as much as N26, 000 just to buy just a bag of rice simply because it is foreign.
“In this Christmas, I am going for locally made rice and that is what my family and everybody in my house will eat until January.”
Raymond Ubi, who also resides in the Cross River capital, said: “I go for our own made rice, no matter what people think about it, I prefer it, in fact I like it more than the so called foreign rice.”
Fidel Egoro who is one of those farming the rice in an interview with the press, had this to say:
“We are under serious pressure to deliver on demand and that is why we cannot accept people paying us through banks.
“We do not have the time to go to the bank, so we prefer cash to save time; many people have placed orders for rice and we are trying to meet up before the close of the season.”
There are also fears that with increased demand the price of the rice might actually go higher before Christmas.
Egoro says: “One bushel of rice (equivalent of half bag) sells for N7,250, while two bushels (equivalent of one bag) sells for N14,500).
“This may increase before the close of the season, depending on changes in cost of production.”
Meanwhile, a recent market survey conducted by NAIJ.com at Agege market, Lagos, revealed a slight increase in the price of rice, beans, groundnut oil, palm oil, onion and other foodstuff items.
In the market, traders lamented the low sales they were experiencing even as Christmas and New Year celebrations approach.

Buhari Is Evil – Donald Trump Attacks Nigerian President Again

President-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump has once again uttered shocking sentiments towards some of the African Presidents whom he once gave a warning that he would severely ‘deal’ with them during his campaign, iMzansi reports.
During a long speech on Monday afternoon, Mr Trump had no kind words for the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, whom he lashed out for ‘taking no action’ after 200 Chibok girls were abducted by the notorious force Boko Haram.
”If one of his daughters, let me say two or three were among those who were abducted could he just fold his arms just like that as if all things were ok? That alone shows how evil he is, probably he is secretly behind the Boko Haram, believe me I was hurt, touch not the girl child, no to abuse, he will ‘pay’ for that as well in January”, said Donald Trump.

“I want to reiterate here before America’s greatest heroes that I will not condone any dictatorial tendencies exhibited by dictators around the world especially the two old men from Zimbabwe and Uganda. In January when I ascend to Presidency, you will actually know my true colors”.
‘Mugabe and Museveni must be put on notice that their days are numbered and that I am going to arrest them and lock them in prison. If the past American administrations have failed to stop these two despots, I will personally do it,” Trump was quoted.

According to the news website, Donald Trump in June last year, also promised that he would off the President of South Africa when he ascends to Presidency. The US president-elect publicly accused President Jacob Zuma of ‘flirting’ and ‘proposing’ love to his wife Melania, after he discovered emails that were sent by Mr Jacob Zuma’s official government email, of which Mr Zuma rubbished the allegations saying he was ‘a man of people’ and a ‘friend’ to everyone.
According to an American political analyst, Mr Michael Reid, Donald Trump is more likely to fulfill his promises since he is a man of his word.

President Buhari To Fly To Gambia To Persuade Pres. Jammeh To Handover Power

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday, December 13th fly off to Gambia in a bid to seek an end to the political lock-jam in the West African country, caused by a “stubborn” ruler.
President Buhari will be joined by other West African leaders in Gambia, in the move for peace.
Following an authoritarian ruler, Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to accept defeat to the President-elect. Mr. Adama Barrow at the Just concluded elections, many world leaders are worried.
Many have wondered why President Jammeh is trying to play pranks after over 22 years in power.

Better To Marry More Wives Than Have One Wife & Many Lovers – Catholic Priest Says

A Catholic Priest has spoken out about some church doctrines which should be amended to suite the African culture.
Rev. Father Gabriel Ngbe of Akwangwa Catholic Church, in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, has canvassed the need for the Church to incorporate some good aspects of African culture in its Doctrine.
The Catholic priest said that polygamy should be accepted in the Church because of those that have more than one wife.
His words: “The Whiteman that brought Christianity to us mixed the religion with his culture and Africans just accepted it like that at the expense of our culture.”
The clergyman made the assertion on Sunday while celebrating Acculturation Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Akwanga.
Ngbe insisted that the Catholic doctrine should be amended, especially in African Catholic Churches in order to accommodate every member of the Church.
“If we did not incorporate parts of our culture into the way we worship God, our culture would in no distant time go into extinction,” he said.
Rev. Father Ngbe explained that local foods should henceforth be used for communion in Catholic Church instead of using products imported from Europe.
The priest also said meaningful Nigerian names should be given to people during the Baptism and Confirmation in Catholic Churches as against using “English names”.
He urged Nigerians to imbibe the habit of wearing local dresses during weddings as well as using local languages for Mass.
He said that anybody who practiced polygamy before accepting Christ should be given equal treatment in the Church with those that have only one wife.
“It is better to have many wives at home than to have only one and yet have many girl friends and lovers outside,” the priest stressed.
Father Ngbe commended the Yoruba people for incorporating their culture in the way they practiced both Christianity and Islam and urged others to emulate them.

President Buhari Retires 2 Service Chiefs, To Name Replacements

A report by New Telegraph indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, and the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
The duo’s retirement was based on their attaining the official years of retirement from the military.
The CDS and the CNS both belong to the Regular Course 26 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
While Olonisakin was commissioned Second Lieutenant on December 18, 1981, Ibas’ commissioning took place in 1983.
Military sources quoted in the report said the minister of defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd), has since sent letters to the Service Chiefs, directing them to handoveron or before Friday, December 16.
The sources say the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, is expected to take over from Olonisakin in acting capacity. Abubakar is the most senior service chief after Olonisakin.
Meanwhile, a former president of a Special Court-Martial, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum, is to expected assume the position of CAS, albeit in acting capacity before his confirmation.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the minister of defence, Colonel Tukur Gusau has dismissed the report as untrue.
In a press statement sent to Naijaloaded, Gusau said his boss has not sent any letter directing the service chiefs to handover their offices.
Part of the statement read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Defence Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali was drawn to some online publications claiming that he has sent letters to the Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin and Chief of the Naval staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas directing them to hand over their offices on or before Friday, 16 December.
“Please be informed that there was no such communication between the office of the Honourable Minister of Defence and the service chiefs directing any one of them to hand over his office and proceed on retirement.
“The appointment and replacement of service chiefs is a prerogative responsibility of the office of the President and Commander in Chief.”

BREAKING: PDP’s George Sekibo Wins Rivers East Senatorial Election

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Rivers East senatorial district election, George Sekibo, has been declared winner by INEC.
INEC returned Mr. Sekibo winner, Tuesday afternoon, after results from the eight local government areas, LGAs, that constitute Rivers East were collated Tuesday afternoon, almost 48 hours after voting ended.
Mr. Sekibo defeated Andrew Uchendu of the All Progressives Congress, APC. He polled 93,098 votes to defeat Mr. Uchendu who had 34,193 votes.
But there was confrontation between PDP members led by Governor Nyesom Wike and security operatives before the final result was declared at the Port Harcourt City Council Hall.
Mr. Wike mobilised his party members to the venue of the collation centre to demand declaration of the result. The people defied security operatives who were shooting sporadically.
They believed there was a plot to change the result in favour of Mr. Uchendu.

“We are ready to die, nobody can change our result,” the PDP members shouted.

Meanwhile, the final result of River East included outcomes from Ikwerre and Emohua LGAs which PDP alleged minister Rotimi Amaechi had hijacked with the aid of police officers and soldiers. But as it was in the other six LGAs, PDP also won in Ikwerre and Emohua.
Mr. Sekibo is going to the Senate for the third time. He was first elected to represent Rivers East in the Senate in 2007. Previously, he was in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, representing Ogu/Bolo/Okrika Federal Constituency.
He has a history of acrimony with Mr. Amaechi.  In January 2008, Mr. Sekibo accused Mr, Amaechi, then Governor of Rivers State, of causing tension between people of Okrika and Ikwerre communities with his ultimatum to the former community to produce militant leader, Ateke Tom. He then said Mr. Amaechi should use legal means to apprehend Mr. Tom.

Biggest Shopping Mall In Benin ‘Phil Hallmark’ Burnt Down Completely By Fire, Goods Worth Millions Of Naira Destroyed

Biggest shopping mall in Benin ‘Phil Hallmark’ burnt down –  Arguably the Biggest Shopping Mall in Benin, Edo State… Phil Hallmark has be razed by fire.. With goods worth millions of naira burnt down to the ground. The fire started in the building around 3:00am although the cause is yet to be disclosed.. See More Photos below;