[Published on January 7, 2013 --- By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON] --- Sarkin Samari is a traditional title in Zazzau Emirate. Simply put, it means, leader of the youth! A title bestowed on an exemplary citizen of Zazzau, who has the capacity to foster unity amongst the youth and also bridge the gap between the palace and the populace. It is an old title in most Hausa Kingdoms, dating back to centuries ago. With modern day development, advancement of education and onset of civilization, the title has undergone tremendous metamorphosis. It is now given to a youth, who is quite loyal, kind, benevolent, helpful and generally acceptable to both the emirate council and the entire youth. The Zazzau Emirate Council under the able leadership of Dr. Shehu Idris as the emir, has unanimously decided to install Muhammad Sa'eed, is an extraordinary person! He is mighty kind and helpful. Very humane and down to earth! He is equally, a philanthropist of...

From ISAIAH ABRAHAM, Abuja -- THE Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) yesterday warned that the commission’s 2013 budget must be brought before the committee January next year. Committee Chairman, Senator James Manager said the bad budgetary tradition of the Commission in which budget implementation commences in April because of its late submission to the National Assembly was unsatisfactory. The commission’s 2010 budget was approved in April 2011, that of 2011 commenced implementation in April 2012 and the 2012 budget followed similar trend having taken off in April this year but the Committee insisted that the 2013 budget must break away from this tradition by ensuring that it reaches the National Assembly by January 2013. But Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Christian Oboh, explained that the current management team was new and met very tough situation on the ground upon which they have been work...

By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON -- The proverbial saying, 'if wishes were horses, beggars would ride' has become a reality for 50 Almajiris in Kaduna as the Lawal Tafida Foundation has turned their frowns to smiles by launching the maiden Almajiri Empowerment  Forum aimed at taking street beggars off the streets and making them self reliant. The venue of the forum was the famous Arewa House, Kaduna and the unique event was held on September 12, 2012, at the Conference Hall, where several street beggars gathered and were happy to be there, knowing that their lives would never be the same again. The empowerment forum was organized in collaboration with the Initiative for Muslim Women of Nigeria (IMWON), and is intended to serve as a pilot project that would in the long run, rid Nigeria's streets of street begging. And with an initial take-off fund of over five million Naira, the Almajiris who are made up of men, women and children, are ...

Kaduna State Governor SIR PATRICK IBRAHIM YAKOWA about a fortnight ago was the guest of NEW NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS where he fielded questions  from Senior Editors of the papers. Before settling down in the boardroom for the chat, he was conducted round the company premises and inspected facilities. Our GOVERNMENT HOUSE correspondent, ABDULL-AZEEZ AHMED KADIR reports; May the soul of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua rest in peace; Yar’adua was the last governor among his eighteen peers to have visited New Nigerian Newspapers and went round the premises to see things for himself. That was in 2005 when he was the Governor of Katsina State. Yar’adua came to the company along with  Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa who was then the Secretary to Kaduna State Government (SSG). Senator Ahmed Muhammed Makarfi was the state governor with late Stephen Shekari as his deputy. Governor Yar’adua was then nominated to head the committee that would look...

By SYLVANUS EZE Anambra State became the 10th oil producing state last Thursday, 30th August, 2012 when President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declared the state oil producing state in Otu Aguleri　 during the commissioning ceremony.. In his speech, the President commended the state government for initiating the Orient refinary, adding that he went to the state, saw the gas and its flaring and as a result, Anambra state is now a member of the league of oil producing states in the country. The President also used the occasion to commission a number of private owned companies as a reasult of which he became over joyed. according to him, "all over the world, the private sector remains the engine of job creation" At the official commissioning of the Onitsha Riverport Complex, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan re-affirmed his promise to the people of the South East and South South on the second Niger bridge and added that it must ...

From MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi THE Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) in Bauchi, Dr. Nisser Umar said that breast feeding provides complete nutritional and protective health package to infants and young children. Dr. Umar who spoke at a celebration marking the 2012 World Breast Feeding Week organized by the agency in Bauchi, explained that breast feeding is one of the most sustainable practices globally. The Bauchi PHCDA director has said that exclusive breast if proper administered could protect nursing mothers from cancer and delays ovulation. "It protects mother from cancer and other diseases; it helps in delaying the return of menses and ovulation: breast feeding has consistently proven to be sustainable, equitable and low cost", Umar stated. He recalled that the event started about 20 years ago with activities lined-up like advocacy, demonstration, seminars, and baby show to creat...

From SANI ALIYU, Zaria NIGERIAN College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT) Zaria has acquired B-737 aircraft from Chanchangi Airline for students cabin crew training. The Rector of the college, Captain Chinyere Kalu disclosed this while briefing journalists on her achievements in office as chief executive from October, 2011 to date. She said, during the period under review, the college also acquired Bell 206 Helicopter for training indigenous students on how to fly Helicopter so that the foreigners will leave indegines to take care. Captain Kalu also said 3D Visual tower equipment for Air Traffic control training have been installed so that adequate monitoring of aircraft on board will be made. To effectively meet the standard requirements, NCAT has purchased two ALSIM AL-X simulator and Aerodynamics wind tunnel trainer, she said. According to her, they have increased capacity and improvement of training pilots and othe...

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s the 2011 elections are fast approaching, the tense political atmosphere is something worth discussing. Many electorate have made up their minds to vote against the incumbent from different political parties occupying various elective positions. The problem of Nigeria as a country in the last fifty years has been that of leadership. The affliction of having the wrong people at the helms of affairs has been largely responsible for our economic and political backwardness as a nation. However, a lot of mudslinging have characterised the process leading to the 2011 elections. First was the issue of zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Malam Adamu Ciroma led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) decided to hand pick Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as a consensus candidate for the north and he was convincingly defeated by President Goodluck Jonathan during the PDP's presidential primary election held in Abuja ear...