The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the appeal by Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the election of Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Osun State Governor.

The apex court, in its judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, also upheld the Appeal Court’s judgment which upheld the election of Adeleke as the state governor.

The apex court held that the appellant failed to adduce enough evidence to prove his allegation of over voting in the July 16, 2022 governorship poll.

The judgment is affirmed and adopted by the entire five members of the panel. According to all the members of the panel the appeal lacks merit.

According to him: “This is an historic landmark in the history of Osun politics. Today is the day, our God ordained to stand his authority as the owner and giver of power.

“Today is that moment when the will of the people ordained by God survived anti-masses plot of powerful forces. We therefore celebrate God Almighty.

Source: Platform Africa, Vanguard

With few weeks left before the expiration of his tenure as the number one citizen of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom has taken advantage of the Workers Day 2023 to appreciate and commend Benue workers for their resilience and unflinching support for his government over the years despite the obvious challenges.

Governor Ortom in a solidarity message to workers issued Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, in commemoration of the 2023 Workers’ Day celebration said in spite of the harsh economic environment, Benue workers had “remained undaunted and faithful.”

While noting that the last eight years had been challenging, the Governor lauded the workers for keeping the wheel of the state alive.

He said, “as we celebrate this year’s workers’ day, I sincerely express my solidarity and appreciation for the hardworking men and women of the Benue State civil servants who keep our economy running and our society functioning smoothly.

“The past years have been challenging for all of us and I know that many of you have faced difficult circumstances and uncertainties in your workplaces like payment of salaries and other allowances. The situation has been worsened by insecurity in the state. Yet, you have had to adapt to new working conditions and navigate a rapidly changing economic landscape.

“But through it all, you have persevered and shown incredible resilience. Your dedication and commitment to your jobs and our communities are an inspiration to us all.

“This is my last workers day celebration with you as your Governor. I want you to know that I am committed to supporting you and advocating for your rights and well-being no matter what others may feel or say.

“I am therefore proud to stand with you at all times as we work to build a more just and equitable society, where every worker has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

“So on this workers’ day, I want to say a big thank you. Thank you for your hard work, your dedication, and your unwavering commitment to making our state a better place. You are the backbone of our economy and the heart of our communities, and I am honored to serve as your Governor.”

About 143 contestants have made entries for the 2023 edition of Nigeria Prize for Literature in Drama category, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG). This is a remarkable 61% increase against 89 entries in the last Drama cycle in 2018. The entrants will compete for a top prize of $100,000.

This was revealed today at a ceremony in Lagos to hand over the entries to judges for the commencement of the adjudication process. NLNG, represented by its General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr Andy Odeh, handed over the entries to the Chair of the Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, who, in turn, handed over the entries to the judges.

The Prize rotates yearly amongst four literary categories of prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.

The Advisory Board also handed over 13 entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism.

Professor Ameh Dennis Akoh chairs the panel of judges for this year’s Literature and the Literary Criticism competition. Professor Akoh is a Professor of Drama and Critical Theory at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State. He has over 50 publications in refereed local and international journals and books. He is the former Editor of the Nigerian Journal of Indigenous Knowledge and Development, Nigerian Theatre Journal (NTJ), Co-editor of African Nebula and the UNIOSUN College of Humanities Monograph Series (2009-2016).

Other panel members include Professor Osita Catherine Ezenwanebe and Dr Rasheedah Liman. Professor Ezenwanebe is a professor of Creative Arts at the University of Lagos. She has written and produced several full-length plays. Dr Liman is a Senior lecturer at the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State.

Professor Victor K. Yankah from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, serves as the International Consultant for the 2023 edition of the Prize.

Speaking on the entries received for the 2023 edition of the Prize, Mr Odeh expressed confidence in the judges and Advisory Board. He emphasised the importance of the dedicated website for the three prizes – The Nigeria Prize for Literature, the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, and the Nigeria Prize for Science – being the only platform for information regarding the prizes, winners, and the adjudication process.

“The Prize serves as a stimulus for Nigerian writers to strive for excellence, and we are proud to see an increase in entries this year for drama. We believe that through this Prize, we are promoting Nigerian literature and encouraging the growth of the literary industry in the country. We are confident that the judges and Advisory Board will do due diligence to produce a verdict based on merit and excellence, and we hope to see a worthy winner of the Prize at the end of the cycle,” he said.

In her remarks, Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo emphasised the importance of literature in driving development in Nigeria.

“Literature is a powerful tool that can drive development in our society. As we begin the adjudication process for this year’s Nigeria Prize for Literature, I urge the judges to use this opportunity to elevate literature and bring it to the forefront of the development discourse in Nigeria. The entries we have received are a testament to the vibrant literary scene in the country, and we hope to see a winner that truly represents the best of Nigerian literature,” she stated.

Past winners in the Drama category include Ahmed Yerima (2005) for his play, Hard Ground; Esiaba Irobi (2010) who clinched the prize posthumously with his book Cemetery Road; Professor Sam Ukala (2014) with his play, Iredi War; and Soji Cole with his book, Embers, (2018).

Other members of the Advisory Board are Prof. Olu Obafemi and Prof. Ahmed Yerima.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature is Africa’s most prestigious literary award, and the increase in entries for drama cycle highlights growing interest in Nigerian literature. With this year’s edition particularly competitive, the judges and Advisory Board have their work cut out to select a deserving winner.

Source: The Platform