Kogi Govt Bans Unionism In State-Owned Tertiary Institutions*

Kogi State government has banned the activities of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions of Tertiary Institutions and all forms of unionism in the state-owned tertiary institutions. The government made the announcement in a statement signed on Wednesday by the state governor, Yahaha Bello.

Institutions affected are Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja; Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa; Kogi State College of Education Technical, Kabba; College of Nursing and Midwifery, Obangede; College of Health Sciences and Technology, Idah; and Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.

The government said it respects the rights of all citizens to responsibly associate and pursue their welfare within the ambits of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the laws of the state, the rights of other citizens and the general norms of a democratic society.

Nigerian Prison Inmates To Start Voting In 2019 - INEC*

Yes The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it is making arrangements with the Nigerian Prisons Service to allow certain prisoners to vote in the forthcoming 2019 general elections. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu said this on Tuesday in Abuja at a dialogue session involving over 70 civil society organizations in Nigeria.

This development is coming three years after a Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State ruled that prisoners in Nigeria have the right to vote in all elections conducted in every part of the country. Mr. Yakubu said that INEC is considering creating polling units in Nigerian prisons, clarifying that only “certain categories of prisoners” would be given the right to vote depending on the nature of the crimes committed.

“We have already engaged the Comptroller-General of Prisons and we have statistics on the number of prisoners nationwide and the number of inmates registered. We are looking at the possibility of creating polling units in the prisons and to enable some categories of prisoners to vote.

Guatemalan 🇬🇹 first to be sentenced 👀 in US 🇺🇸 Fifa scandal*

A former Guatemalan judge who led his country's football federation has become the first person to be sentenced in a US investigation into corruption in Fifa. Hector Trujillo was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy.

He admitted to accepting almost $200,000 in bribes from a sports marketing company. Trujillo admitted offering media and marketing rights to Guatemala's World Cup qualifier matches in return for bribes.

The US investigation was first revealed in May 2015 and has seen federal prosecutors in New York indict around 40 sports and football executives linked to football in the Americas.

Jonathan’s loyalists responsible for Maina’s reinstatement – Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday said some influential government officials loyal to the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan were responsible for the reinstatement of the embattled former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, into the service.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement made available to journalists. Shehu was reacting to a statement by the Peoples Democratic Party on the matter. He said the PDP had no moral right to level any accusations against the current government in respect to Maina.

“Some influential officials loyal to the previous government may have been the invisible hand in the latest scandal that saw the return of Maina to the public service, despite being on the EFCC’s wanted list,” the presidential spokesman said.

Nicki Minaj Channels Her Inner Goddess

Nicki Minaj Channels Her Inner Goddess
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"Celebrating 'The Greats' issue for the New York Times style magazine The Met Breuer in NYC. I'm told I'm the 3rd musician to be on the cover. Such a proud New Yorker tonight. Dress by Botegga Venetta. Shawl by Givenchy."

Love sin- cherish death

⏰Thursday of the Twenty-Ninth Week of Ordinary Time 1 (26 October 2017)

📖Rom 6:19-23; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. Ps 40:5ab); Luke 12:49-53

🎤"THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST" (Rom 6:23)

You see, out of laziness or wickedness, and in a bid to run away from our family responsibilities, many of us try to appeal to religion as a tool of division. Imagine a brother telling his siblings that he will not take care of them until they have embraced his religious orientation. Is that Christ-like? Even Christ himself embraced sinners.

So, what does Jesus mean when he says that he has come to bring division and not peace (Luke 12:49-53)? The answer must be seen more from the individual before going social. First, the division separates the old self which was rooted in sin and death from the new self which has embraced light and life.

The new self refuses to be associated again with its sinful past, which may include family or national beliefs. This refusal might attract resentment from families and nation. So, it is not the individual who is separating himself.

Instead of focusing on that social division, we are encouraged to yearn more for the internal division which is necessary for our salvation. St. Paul reminds us that the wages of sin is death. Christ has already separated us from that sin and death through his own death on the cross (cf. Rom 6:19-23).

It is important that we maintain this particular division so that we might remain on the track to eternal life. And may God grant us the grace to stay away from sin and embrace the free gift of eternal life which he gives us in Christ. Amen.

Have a spiritually focused and fulfilling day. Peace be with you.