Visblog

A lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Dr. Ovunda Ihunwo, has cautioned parents and guardians against blindly celebrating their children’s “sign-out” jamborees, describing the growing trend as a “deceptive culture” that often masks students’ true academic standing. In many Nigerian universities, “sign-out” ceremonies—originally a modest tradition to mark the end of final examinations—have now evolved into elaborate social events. Students often don customized T-shirts, spray money, host parties with loud music, and sometimes involve their parents in the festivities. However, Dr. Ihunwo warned that not all students who participate in these celebrations have genuinely fulfilled their graduation requirements. “Parents must be vigilant. Some of the students you see signing out have not even been cleared academically,” he said. “They are deceiving themselves, their parents, and the public.” He explained that peer influence, social pressure, and the pursuit of social media ...

YouTube has agreed to pay $22 million to former U.S. President Donald Trump in a legal settlement over the suspension of his account. The lawsuit stemmed from YouTube’s decision to block Trump’s channel following the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, citing concerns over the spread of violent content and incitement. According to court filings on Monday, the settlement brings an end to a lengthy legal battle in which Trump accused the video-sharing platform of censorship and political bias. His legal team had argued that the suspension violated his right to free speech and unfairly silenced his voice during a crucial political period. YouTube, owned by Google, initially defended its action as necessary to curb the risk of violence but has opted to resolve the case through financial settlement rather than continue prolonged litigation. While the company did not admit wrongdoing, the payout marks one of the largest settlements between a social media platform and a political fig...

The 2021 Anambra Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Andy Uba, is in hot water as the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a warrant for his arrest over an alleged ₦400 million appointment racket. The ex-lawmaker, who has repeatedly dodged court appearances, is accused of masterminding a fraudulent scheme promising top political appointments in exchange for cash. At Wednesday’s hearing, trial judge Justice Mohammed Umar lost patience with Uba’s absence. “I will give you another opportunity by giving you another date. This case must be heard this year. Even if it means issuing a bench warrant of arrest, the court will do that,” he thundered, before fixing October 28, 2025, for arraignment. Defense lawyer, C.L. Odiniru, pleaded that Uba was receiving medical treatment in the United States, but prosecution counsel, Aminu Abdullahi, shot back that no shred of evidence had been produced to prove the illnes...

Nigeria is awash with financial resources, but for most citizens, the streets tell a starkly different story. The latest FAAC report shows a record N2.225 trillion shared among the federal, state, and local governments in August 2025. In theory, these sums should translate into better roads, reliable electricity, functional hospitals, and enhanced security. In practice, hunger persists, insecurity deepens, and essential public services remain largely inadequate. Under President Bola Tinubu, the federal government has consistently remitted allocations to states and local governments. Governors also collect statutory revenue, VAT allocations, derivation funds, and discretionary security votes, in addition to generous allowances for travel, meetings, and legislative activities. Yet, despite these immense resources, citizens continue to shoulder the burden of infrastructural decay and social hardship. The picture of governance, however, is far from uniform. Some governors are making concer...

Photo Ethiopia just commissioned Africa's largest hydro power dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Built over 12 years, from 2011 to 2023, it has an installed capacity of 5.51 gigawatts, and will not only supply power to Ethiopia but will also make Ethiopia a net exporter of power to neighbouring nations like Kenya Funding? To fund this massive project, which costs about $5 billion, Ethiopia was forced to look inward due to significant opposition from Egypt, which argued that the dam would restrict the flow of the Nile River to Egypt. Egypt relies on the Nile for 90% of its water. Thus, Egypt pressured international donors not to fund the project Thus, the government of Ethiopia was forced to look inward and tax its local institutions. The Central Bank issued "Renaissance Bonds" to Ethiopians in the diaspora and at home. Civil servants donated a part of their paychecks via direct debit, and these bonds were sold as a patriotic effort. In terms of numbers, the E...