Alice Coachman Davis, first black woman to win gold in the Olympics passes away at age 90

In 1948, Alice Coachman Davis won the gold medal in the high jump and was not only the lone American woman to take home a gold medal at the London games, but she was also the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. According to the AP and her daughter, Evelyn Jones, the trailblazer passed away on Monday at the age of 90 in South Georgia. According to the New York Times, Davis had been at a nursing home after having a stroke a few months ago and went into cardiac arrest on Monday after having a hard time breathing.
During those games in London, Davis set a record at the time for clearing 5.51 feet. Her accomplishments at the Games of the XIV Olympiad were so great that when she returned to her hometown of Albany, Georgia, she was honored with a ceremony. However, the audience welcoming her back home was, of course, segregated.

Subsidy must go – Finance Commissioners, NECA

Removal ‘ll impoverish Nigerians; it’s corruption that should go— NLC

Commissioners for Finance from the 36 states of the federation rose from their monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting in Abuja, yesterday, insisting that petroleum products subsidy must be removed.
While their position was consistent with that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, it sharply contradicted the thinking of the Nigerian Senate, which held a few days ago that petroleum subsidy should remain.
The commissioners had, three months ago, decided that the current subsidy was not in the interest of the nation and wrote a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, demanding an end to it.
The Chairman, Forum of Commissioners of Finance, Mr. Timothy Odaah, told journalists shortly after the meeting that there was no going back on their position and that they had fully briefed their principals— state governors.

Nasarawa House to serve Al-Makura impeachment notice through media

LAFIA—There were  indications yesterday that the Nasarawa State House of Assembly would serve its impeachment notice on Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura through the media, following alleged inability of the Clerk of the House to serve the governor personally with the notice.
The motion for impeachment proceeding against Al-Makura for gross misconduct, was raised Monday during plenary through a motion brought under urgent matters of public importance by Mohammed Ibaku, PDP, representing Udege/Loko and seconded by Mohammed Okpede, PDP, representing Doma North Constituency.

Nyanya blast: Key suspect, Ogwuche, extradited to Nigeria

The alleged mastermind of the April 14 blast in Nyanya, Abuja, Aminu Ogwuche, has been extradited by Sudan to Nigeria on Tuesday.

Ogwuche, who was handed over to the Interpol Unit of the Nigeria Police Force by the Sudanese authorities was flown into the country in a special flight from Khartoum, Sudan, which touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 3pm on Tuesday.

On hand to receive him at the Presidential wing of the airport were the spokespersons of the Police, ACP Frank Mba, Department of State Services, Marilyn Ogar, Army, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade and the Coordinator, National Information Centre, Mike Omeri.

Adamawa Assembly sacks Governor Murtala Nyako

Embattled Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, has been impeached.
The governor was removed  Tuesday afternoon as the state House of Assembly deliberated on the report of an investigative panel that probed allegations of financial misconducts against him.
Seventeen of the 25 members of the Assembly adopted the report of the panel after Speaker Umaru Fintiri read the report on the floor of the House.
The report found the governor guilty of all the 16 allegations of gross misconduct leveled against him by the House.

Woman sells day-old daughter for N20,000

YENAGOA — A commercial sex worker in Bayelsa State, weekend, gave birth to a baby girl and sold the child for N20,000 at the Ovom suburb of Yenagoa.

According to a Police source, the child, a day old, was sold to a family in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was learnt that the commercial sex worker operates around the popular red light zone of Ovom along the D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha area, in the state capital.
Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, when contacted, confirmed the incident, saying investigation into the incident traced the family involved in the unholy sale to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Akhigbe said: “Though the details of the investigation are sketchy, the special unit of the police is on its way to effect the recovery of the baby and arrest the family that bought the child.”

Photos: President Jonathan commissions Rice Farm in Nasarawa

From left Managing Director Olam Rice Nigeria  Mr Srivatsan Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura President Goodluck Jonathan and Agric Minister Dr Akinwumi Adesina  at the commissioning of Olam Rice Farm  Nigeria at Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan  inspecting bags of harvested  rice  at the Olam Rice Nigeria at the commissioning of the Rice Company  at Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July 2014

From left Water Resources  Minister Serah Ochekpe, Agric Minister Dr Adesina Akinwumi, President Goodluck Jonathan, Nasarawa  State Governor Tanko Al-Makura  and the Managing Director of Olam Rice Farm  Mr.  Srivatsan cutting the Tape to Commission the Olam Rice Nigeria in Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

From left Water Resources  Minister Serah Ochekpe Agric Minister Dr, Adesina Akinwumi President Goodluck Jonathan Nasarawa  State Governor Tanko Al-Makura  and the Managing Director of Olam RiceFarm  Mr.  Srivatsan Cutting the Tape to Commission the Olam Rice Nigeria in Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan  inspecting  bags of harvested  rice  at the Olam Rice Nigeria at the commissioning of the Rice Company  at Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

Agric Minister Dr. Akinwumi Adesina,  Nasarawa State Governor  Tamko Al-Makura and President Goodluck Jonathan inspecting bags of harvested  rice  at the Olam Rice Nigeria at the commissioning of the Rice Farm Nigeria Company  at Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

Nasarawa State Governor  Tamko Al-Makura and President Goodluck Jonathan inspecting bags of harvested  rice  at the Olam Rice Nigeria at the commissioning of the Rice Farm Nigeria Company  at Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan presses button to commission the Bagging  Section of Olam Rice Farm Nigeria  in  Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan  2^nd left, Managing Director of Olam Rice Mr Srivatsan left, and Nasarawa State Governor  Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura right at the Commissioning  of the Bagging Section of the Olam Rice Farm Nigeria  in Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan  2^nd left, Managing Director of Olam Rice Mr Srivatsan left, and Nasarawa State Governor  Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura right at the Commissioning  of the Bagging Section of the Olam Rice Farm Nigeria  in Rukubi  Nasarawa State  on Monday  14^th July, 2014

Courtesy State House Photo

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE SAFE RESCUE OF CHIBOK GIRLS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN ASSURES MALALA

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE SAFE RESCUE OF CHIBOK GIRLS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN ASSURES MALALA
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Monday in Abuja that the notion that the Federal Government has not been doing enough to find and rescue the abducted Chibok girls, is very wrong and misplaced.
Speaking at an audience with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani Girl-Child Education Campaigner, President Jonathan said that the Federal Government was definitely doing everything possible to ensure that the girls were rescued alive and safely returned to their parents.
He however explained to Malala, who was accompanied by her father and other members of her Foundation, that the Federal Government's efforts were constrained by the overriding imperative of ensuring that the girls' lives are not endangered in any rescue attempt.

Malala in Abuja, five escaped Chibok girls join protest

L–R: Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade
girls education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai; spokesperson
of theState Security Service, Marilyn Ogar; and Coordinator,
National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, during Malala’s
visit to the National Information Centre, in Abuja... on Sunday

Five of the schoolgirls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity joined the members of the BringBackOurGirls Coalition rally in Abuja on Sunday to drum up support for their colleagues who are still being held captive by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Over 200 girls were abducted in their hostel at the Government Secondary School. Chibok, Borno State on April 15.

The girls were brought to the BBOG sit-out meeting at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja on Sunday.

The young girls who sat quietly throughout the duration of the sit-out, looked subdued and withdrawn.

Nigeria Arise Centenary Special Award 2014, London

July 11th, 2014
Nigeria Arise Award 2014 PRESS INFO
NIGERIA ARISE AWARDS 2014 – PRESS RELEASE
The prestigious annual NIGERIA ARISE AWARDS will take place in London comes August 30th 2014 in London.
Nigeria Arise Initiative, in Association with BEN Television, (United Kingdom), is once again putting touches together to recognize and celebrate Nigerians in Diaspora and from Nigeria in this Centenary year of the country.
Nigeria Arise Awards was launched in London, England in 2008, and since then has become an institution that celebrate individual and corporate entities that have contributed towards the development of Nigeria; promoting Nigeria's enterprise, people and values socially, economically and politically through good governance and enterprising programmes/projects.
Mr. Alistair Soyode, who is the founding executive added, "This year's Nigeria Arise will be different in the sense that, Nigeria celebrates her centenary. We are uniquely positioned to showcase Nigeria to the outside World and celebrate our leaders doing better than normal  as well as captains in chosen business and careers".