Gist Arena

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, has given details how religious leaders pushed the Goodluck Jonathan administration to change the status of Christian and Islamic subjects in school curriculum. The two subjects, previously optional, are now core for students of respective faiths. Mr. Abubakar spoke amid controversy that has trailed the decision, with Christian leaders demanding a reversal of the policy. The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, accused the government of attempting to “Islamise” the country by bringing both subjects under a new subject called Religion and National Values. The Christian Elders Forum, a group that also includes former military generals, backed the call on Thursday. The government denies the allegation, saying it merely made Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Religious Knowledge compulsory for Christian and Muslim students respectively. Speaking Friday at a National Symposium and Lauching of 2025 Vi...

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council has met with the northern Arewa Youths coalition with a view to charting a common course for peaceful co-existence of various groups in all parts of the country. The meeting which was held Saturday evening in Abuja lasted several hours?. Speaking with Abia Facts Newspaper after the meeting in Abuja, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro appreciated the Arewa Youth Coalition and commended both youth groups for the peace initiative. The President informed AFN that the peace meeting resulted in the formation of a six-member committee which will facilitate another meeting in the South-east immediately. On the quit notice issue, the President said that appreciable understanding have been reached which will be concluded in the next meeting. He assured Igbos that their is no need for anyone to be afraid because the youths havs resolved to settle the misunderstanding. When we asked his p...

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka yesterday said the unity of Nigeria as a nation is an issue that must be discussed in order to address lingering complaints of marginalisation. His view runs counter to the one expressed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who said the country’s unity is not negotiable. “The claim that the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable is a false statement”, Soyinka said, adding that “the right of the people to determine their future is what is non-negotiable.” The Nobel laureate who made the comments in Bayelsa when he joined the state governor, Seriake Dickson in an interactive session with students of the newly commissioned Ijaw National Academy, Kaiama, Kolouma/Opokuma local government area of the state stated that Nigeria’s political leaders that bear enormous responsibility have been indulging in what he described as a falsity that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable. The Ijaw National Academy, which has been running for four months, accommodate...

Contrary to the clamour and demand by Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State for President Buhari and APC to reveal the true health state of the president, the National Chairman of PDP Senator Ahmed Makarfi has disgreed with him based on the report on Punch. Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi, has said that the party does not care if President Muhammadu Buhari declares his health status. In an interview with Punch, Makarfi stated that it was enough that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was named Acting President before Buhari travelled to the UK for medical check-ups over two months ago. “If Buhari declares his health status, what difference will it make? The fact is that there is an acting president in power, just as the constitution has provided for. “He has the full powers to perform the functions and duties of the president. If Buhari chooses not to declare his health status, that is his own business. “The only thing I hav...

A leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has advised federal lawmakers to come up with legislation that would help in promoting the country’s diversity for prosperity. Mr. Tinubu made the call when the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, led the Senate and the House of Representatives Committee on the review of 1999 Constitution on a visit at his residence in Lagos on Saturday. The senators visited him on the sidelines of their annual retreat on the review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos. He commended the legislators for the efforts on ways to properly amend the country’s constitution. “I urged you to continue to work for the unity of the nation for our diversity to be meaningful. I promise to be available to render any assistance by providing suggestions and ideas that can foster a greater Nigeria. “Do not allow excuses turn you to the house-of-do-nothing. The country is not in a panic mode because of the way you have gi...