Bello sworn in as Kogi governor

Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was Wednesday sworn-in as fourth executive governor of Kogi State.

The oath of office was administered on him at exactly 12noon by the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja.

On hand at the inauguration was the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and some members of the National Executive Council of the party.

Others include representative of Senate President. Senator Kabiru Gaya, Governor Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa) and his Benue State counterpart. Samuel Orton.



With The Nation

FG, states, LGs share N387.8bn for December

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday, in Abuja said N387.8 billion was shared among the federal, states and local governments as revenue for December, 2015.

Adeosun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, announced this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, according to Vanguard.

She said the shared amount comprised the month’s statutory revenue of N315 billion.

“Also, there is the exchange gain of N4.5 billion which is proposed for distribution. Adeosun also said that the money shared included the N6.3 billion refunded to the federation account by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“Therefore, the total revenue distributable for the month of December, including VAT of N62 billion, is N387.8 billion,” she said.

It will be recalled that N369.9 billion was shared to the three tiers of government as revenue for the month of November.

This month’s allocation shows an increase of N17.9 billion. Giving the breakdown of revenue among the three tiers of government, Adeosun said the Federal Government received N147.5 billion, representing 52.68 per cent while states got N74.8 billion, representing 26.72 per cent.

The local governments, she said, received N57.7 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent of the amount distributed. She said N42.05 billion, representing 13 per cent derivation revenue was shared among the oil producing states.

Adeosun also announced that during the month under review, Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas paid a dividend of $150 million which had earlier been distributed to the three tiers of government.

The minister said the country generated N214.6 billion as mineral revenue and N100.3 billion as non-mineral revenue in December.

She said this showed an increase of N16.04 billion and N1.5 billion respectively from what the country generated in the preceding month. The minister also said the balance in the Excess Crude Account was $2.25 billion, indicating that nothing had been removed or added since July 2015.

Adeosun said acts of vandalism on oil pipelines among other factors had continued to negatively impact on oil revenue generation. She said shut-in, shut-down of production for repairs, production shortfall due to technical hitches at different terminals throughout the month impacted negatively on crude oil and gas revenue.

According to her, there was a revenue loss of $143.9 million as a result of reduction in federation export sales and drop in the average price of crude oil from 49.58 dollars in October to 43.4 dollars in November, 2015.”

Johanna Konta & Andy Murray reach Australian Open semi-finals

Britain have two Grand Slam singles semi-finalists for the first time since 1977 after victories for Johanna Konta and Andy Murray at the Australian Open.

Konta continued her remarkable run with a 6-4 6-1 win over China's Zhang Shuai in the quarter-finals and next faces German seventh seed Angelique Kerber.

Fellow Briton Murray saw off Spain's David Ferrer 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-3 to reach his sixth Melbourne semi-final.

The Scot, seeded second, will play Canada's Milos Raonic on Friday.

Raonic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2014, beat Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Konta and Murray have matched the achievement of semi-finalist Sue Barker and runner-up John Lloyd, who both reached the last four at the Australian Open 39 years ago.

Murray, 28, won a gruelling quarter-final against eighth seed Ferrer that lasted three hours and 49 minutes.

Konta, ranked 47th, is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since Jo Durie made the US Open last four in 1983.

"I'm just so happy that I'm enjoying what I'm doing," said Konta after her straight-set win over Zhang. "That is me living my dream."

Her achievements so far have guaranteed her prize money of at least £370,000 and are likely to secure her a place in the world's top 30.

"When I was a little girl, I dreamt of winning grand slams and being number one in the world," she added. "That dream stays the same, I think, as long as you're doing the career that you're on."

Konta said she "just wanted to come out and play the best level" she could against Zhang, who was also in uncharted waters.

The British number one saw off the Chinese qualifier, ranked 133rd in the world, in one hour and 22 minutes.

Konta began confidently, breaking twice and serving superbly as she moved 5-2 clear before overcoming some nerves and a resurgent opponent to clinch the set.

After saving a break point that would have made it 5-5 and then converting her sixth set point, the confidence returned and Konta again earned a double-break lead in the second set.

With a semi-final place there for the taking, Konta saw two match points slip by but converted the third thanks to a net cord.

"To be honest, I was taking it a match at a time," said Konta. "She definitely didn't make it easy for me.

"Every time I was ahead, she was constantly there. I'm not proud of the net cord, but I'm happy I was able to fight every point."

A Grand Slam final appearance is now a real possibility, arguably more so after Kerber's surprise win over the in-form Victoria Azarenka.

Kerber and Konta will meet for the first time in Thursday's second semi-final at around 04:30 GMT.

Murray is through to his 18th Grand Slam semi-final, bringing him level with Boris Becker, having dropped just two sets in five matches.

The former Wimbledon and US Open champion was made to work hard by Ferrer, but Murray proved the stronger in the third and fourth sets.

A three-set win looked possible after he took the opener and fought back from 4-1 down in the second to earn two break points at 4-4.

Ferrer, 33, showed his famous battling qualities by digging in and forcing a tie-break, which he would win to draw level, prompting Murray to berate himself and talk to those in his player box.

The Scot was understandably irritated but gathered himself sufficiently to break for a 3-1 lead in the third, at which point the roof was brought across with thunderstorms forecast.

Murray saved a break point on the resumption, but broke once again to take a grip on the contest and moved 2-0 up in the fourth.

Ferrer, 33, refused to yield and hit straight back but Murray made the decisive move in game six after the Spaniard netted a smash and made it to the finish line with two hard-fought service games.

He will now play Raonic, who is pledging to "fight with all my heart" when the two meet on Friday.

With Jamie Murray through to the semi-finals of the men's doubles with Brazilian Bruno Soares, it is the first time two brothers have reached semis in singles and doubles at the Australian Open.

Azarenka might have been seeded seven places lower than Kerber at 14th, but the German still pulled off something of a shock by knocking out the Belarusian.

The 28-year-old raced into an early 4-0 lead and then staged a superb second-set fightback to beat two-time champion Azarenka 6-3 7-5.

The German had lost all six previous matches against Azarenka and saved five set points from 2-5 in the second set.

"I can't actually describe it in words," said Kerber. "I'm so happy I beat her for the first time."

Azarenka, 26, said her footwork and shots weren't good enough and also blamed "too many unforced errors in the key moments".

With BBC Sport

See Photo as Buhari leaves for Kenya

13 Remarkable Reasons Why You Should Eat Walnuts Regularly!

Walnuts are among the oldest tree foods grown by man, with their importance being highlighted back in 7000 B.C. Today, due to diet restrictions and several disbeliefs people avoid eating walnuts considering that they are calorie-rich and fat dense in nature. However, the fact that walnuts are immensely rich in nutrition and their benefits ranging from metabolism to heart health and beauty cannot be overlooked. Here are top 10 reasons walnuts must be included as a part of healthy diet.

1. Helps weight loss:

Contrary to what people believe, walnuts can form a part of weight management diet. Several studies have suggested that regular consumption of walnuts is unlikely to cause weight gain or obesity. In fact, an ounce of walnuts contains 2.5g of omega 3 fats, 4g of protein and 2g of fibre that help provide satiety. Any successful weight management plan must include satiety factor; so walnut is undoubtedly the right food to consider if you are into a weight management programme. Despite being ‘dense in calories, walnuts can be an important tool in helping you lose weight.

2. Induces sleep:

Walnuts contain a compound called melatonin, responsible for conveying messages regarding the cycle of light and dark to the body. Since melatonin is already synthesised by the body, consumption of walnuts increases the blood levels of melatonin, thereby inducing sleep. That’s why eating walnuts can be a great way to improve sleep. [1]

3. Great for your hair:

Walnut is a good ‘hair food’ too. This is because walnuts contain biotin (vitamin B7) that helps strengthen hair, reduce hair fall and improve hair growth to certain extent. In addition to walnuts, you can try these foods to prevent hair loss.

4. Prevents heart disease:

Among all the dietary plants and nuts, walnuts contain the highest amount of antioxidants. Around 100 g of walnuts will give more than 20 mmol antioxidants, which makes them extremely effective in combating heart disease by their ability to destroy free radicals. They are also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that lowers bad cholesterol and increases the production of good cholesterol making it a great snack to keep your heart in great health.

5. Prevents diabetes:

All types of nuts are associated with a lowered risk of diabetes and walnuts are no exception. According to a study, women who consumed 28 grams of walnuts twice a week were 24% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition, and even though it was conducted on women, experts believe that the benefits would be similar for men too.

6. Boosts your sperm quality:

Eating 2.5 ounces of walnuts per day improves semen quality in healthy young men, researchers say. According to a study by UCLA researchers, eating 75 grams of walnuts a day improves the vitality, motility, and morphology of sperm in healthy men aged 21 to 35. Here are 8 easy ways to boost your sperm quality and count.

7. Makes your skin glow:

Walnuts are rich in B-vitamins and antioxidants that prevents your skin from free radical damage and prevents wrinkles and signs of ageing. So if you want glowing skin long into your middle-age, eat walnuts.

8. Can keep dementia at bay:

Eating walnuts everyday can help ward off dementia, say scientists. In the study, Dr. Abha Chauhan and his team from the New York State Institute found that mice deprived of walnuts suffered a dramatic loss in learning, memory and physical and emotional control. According to the results, vitamin E and flavanoids in walnuts helped destroy harmful free radical chemicals that cause dementia.  You may read more to find out how walnuts help prevent Alzheimer’s. Also read how walnuts help you keep your brain healthy.

9. Prevents pancreatic cancer:

A new study has found that consumption of nuts, including walnuts, is inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, independent of other potential risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Researchers looked at the association between nut consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer among 75,680 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, with no previous history of cancer. It was observed that the women who consumed a one-ounce serving of nuts two or more times per week had a significantly reduced risk of pancreatic cancer compared to those who largely abstained from nuts. Watch how it boosts your sex life.

10. Helps you live longer:

Eating a handful of walnuts just thrice a week is the key to a longer life, a study has found. Scientists discovered that these edible seeds cut the risk of dying from cancer by 40 per cent and from cardiovascular disease by at least 55 per cent. In general, nut eaters in the research had a 39 per cent lesser risk of death and walnut eaters in particular a 45 per cent reduced threat. Also read the health benefits of green, leafy vegetables.

11. Great for pregnant women:

Mothers-to-be who eat a diet rich in fatty acids such as those found in walnuts can reduce the baby’s chances of developing food allergies, researchers say. The research found that if a mother’s diet contains a certain group of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the baby’s gut develops differently. The PUFAs are thought to improve how gut immune cells respond to bacteria and foreign substances, making the baby less likely to suffer from allergies.

12. Reduces breast cancer risk:

The researchers at the Marshall University found that a daily dose of walnuts – equal to 2 ounces a day in humans – reduces the growth of breast cancer tumours in mice. Lead researcher Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., of Marshall’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, and colleagues studied the mice from the mother, through conception and throughout life. They then compared mice given walnuts to those fed a regular diet. The research found that the group whose diet included walnut at both stages developed breast cancer at less than half the rate of the group with the typical diet.  In addition, the number of tumours and their sizes were significantly smaller.

13. Can fight stress:

If daily stress is taking a toll on your health, it’s time to eat walnuts, as they help fight stress, according to a study. The researchers found that including walnuts and walnut oil in the diet lowered both resting blood pressure and blood pressure responses to stress in the laboratory. Walnuts are a rich source of fibre, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. These are the nutrients that give walnuts it’s stress fighting properties.

With Sunday Adelaja blog