News
Sen. Katung, Bags Another Prestigious Award At UN General Assembly
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Senator representing Kaduna South at Nigeria’s National Assembly, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, has added another cap to his feather as he bagged another prestigious African and Caribbean award at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) in New York, United States of America.
According to the organizers, the award was in recognition of Senator Katung’s outstanding legislative performance in Nigeria’s National Assembly.
The Senator also received recognition and commendation from the South Carolina State Legislature following a motion by Representative Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, acknowledging his sterling legislative contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria.
Presenting the award to Senator Katung during the International Forum of African-Caribbean Leadership (IFACL), which is part of activities at the ongoing UN General Assembly, the founder/Executive Chairman of the African Leadership Magazine, Dr Ken Giami, said the choice of Senator Katung for the African Leadership Legislative Excellence Awards Senator was in recognition of his “outstanding posturing as one of the continent’s outstanding public servants and parliamentarian with exceptional professional expertise and leadership savvy.”
The organizers highlighted and listed Senator Katung’s honesty, transparency, dedication, and unalloyed commitment to excellence, youth development, and empowerment as the basis for these honors.
According to the organizers, the award also recognizes Senator Katung’s diverse accomplishments and exceptional stewardship to the people of Kaduna South Senatorial District, as well as his numerous achievements and efforts to address security challenges, improve healthcare delivery, and promote education within his region.
Delivering his speech at the International Forum of African-Caribbean Leadership (IFACL), which is part of activities at the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York., Senator Katung called for concerted efforts to address climate change challenges in Africa and the Caribbeans.
He said that Africa and the Caribbean must face common challenges such as climate change, poverty, inequality, and social injustice.
According to him, “These necessitate a collective call to action beyond the rhetoric of oratory. Many African and Caribbean countries are currently at risk of not meeting the SDGs by 2030 thus the imperative and urgency to rally around Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
“To effectively tackle multidimensional poverty, environmental degradation, sustainable development as well as resilient societies, we must adopt a multi-stakeholder approach that engages all sectors of society,” Katung said while calling for a paradigm shift with the parliament effectively playing its legislative functions, from traditional representative democracy to a more inclusive, participatory, accountable and responsive democracy.
“The current system has fallen short and we must acknowledge this reality,” Katung said, adding that the demand for participatory democracy is growing and that African and Caribbean countries will eventually need to embrace the shift to build resilient societies that truly represent the voices and needs of their citizens.
“In this regard, the role of the parliament cannot be overemphasized. Parliament has the mandate to enact laws that support multi-stakeholder partnerships, provide appropriation resources and funding for partnership initiatives, and hold the executive accountable for their commitments and actions towards such partnerships.
“Thankfully, despite threats of rising authoritarianism and closing civic spaces globally, many countries have embraced the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
“This is a global reform initiative that is being co-created and championed by reformers in governments and civil society to foster a culture of public transparency, accountability, and responsiveness and is key to galvanizing multi-stakeholder partnerships that can help accelerate the move from transactional changes to achieve transformational progress.
“The importance of supporting regional integration and cooperation in Africa and the Caribbean cannot be overstated. Leaders, including parliamentarian, must acknowledge that resilient societies are built through collaborative efforts across all sectors, driving economic growth, social progress, environmental protection, and inclusive development,” Katung said.
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State was also presented with the award of Best Performing Governor Award by Founder/Executive Chairman of the African Leadership Magazine, Dr. Ken Giami, as well as bestowed honorary citizenship of the State of Georgia on Diri and legislative recognition of the South Carolina State Legislature.
The event attracted several political, business, and industry leaders, including the President and Chairman of the United States Export-Import Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Dr. Kevin Greenidge, and President/Chief Executive Officer of Hightower Petroleum, Stephen Hightower.
Also in attendance were Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, former chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Harry Kalaba, former Zambia Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman, Citizens First Party of Zambia as well as Ms Nomvule Mokonyane, Deputy Secretary General of the African National Congress in South Africa and other leaders from Angola, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa.
US President Donald Trump has asserted that he is not jesting about his ambitions for a third presidential term, despite the constitutional restrictions in place.
While the U.S. Constitution prohibits any individual from serving more than two four-year terms, Trump indicated that it is premature to delve into such considerations.
Having assumed office for his second, non-consecutive term on January 20, Trump has hinted at his desire for a third term, addressing the matter more directly in a telephone conversation with NBC News.
“No, I’m not joking. I’m not joking,” Trump reiterated, though he acknowledged, “it is far too early to think about it.”
He hinted at potential avenues to pursue this goal without providing specific details.
According to the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, whether consecutive or not. To amend this constitutional provision would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the 50 state legislatures.
Some of Trump’s allies have suggested the feasibility of extending his stay in the White House beyond 2028. Trump himself has alluded to this notion on multiple occasions, often in a manner that challenges his political adversaries. Should he pursue another term after the November 2028 election, he would be 82 years old, having previously made history as the oldest president at the time of his inauguration.
The tradition of limiting presidential terms was established by George Washington in 1796. This practice was largely followed for over 140 years until Franklin D. Roosevelt broke the norm by winning a third term in 1940. Roosevelt, who led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, sadly passed away during his fourth term in 1945, leading to the enactment of the term limits amendment in 1951.
Steve Bannon, a long-time adviser to Trump, expressed in a March 19 interview with NewsNation his belief that Trump will indeed run again in 2028. Bannon noted that he and others are exploring ways to facilitate this ambition, including reviewing the definition of term limits. “We’re working on it,” he stated, underscoring the ongoing discussions surrounding Trump’s political future.
Traders in Lagos have voiced their concerns regarding the significant decline in food sales, particularly for pepper, attributing the downturn to rising prices and the diminished purchasing power of local residents.
In interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both traders and consumers shared their experiences regarding patronage as the Sallah celebration approaches.
Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, Chairman of the Tomato Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (Kaduna chapter), linked the situation to the heightened prices of produce and the weakened purchasing capacity of consumers. He stated, “Pepper prices in the north are also steep, with a jumbo 50kg bag reaching as high as N150,000, compared to N60,000 to N70,000 just months ago. This price surge may adversely affect the Sallah festivities, as only a few consumers may afford these products.”
Zuntu further explained, “Currently, we are outside the pepper farming season. Insufficient rainfall has led to a scarcity of this commodity, with only a handful of farmers involved in irrigation. Many will resort to using dried pepper, which is more affordable during this time, although demand remains low. We anticipate an increase in demand as the celebration nears.”
Mrs. Mistura Balogun, a pepper vendor at Lawanson Market in Surulere, echoed these sentiments, noting the unusually low customer turnout. “It’s not just pepper that has become expensive; many other goods have seen price increases as well. Typically, this time of year should see a bustling market, but today is quite different. I have been at my stall since morning, and the number of customers is minimal,” she lamented.
Similarly, Mrs. Mojisola Gbadegesin, another pepper seller at Idi-Araba market, reported a stark decrease in patronage. “Despite the high prices, we usually see customers buying pepper, but this year is different. The market feels deserted, and business is sluggish,” she remarked.
Mrs. Judith Amen, also a foodstuff vendor, highlighted that the rising prices of pepper and other food items are likely to escalate further as the celebrations peak. “At the start of the week, a small bag of scotch bonnet pepper was priced at N70,000, and I expect prices to soar over the weekend due to Sallah. A good quality bag of rice is selling for N85,000, while lower-quality options range from N60,000 to N75,000. Although patronage is currently low, we anticipate an uptick a day before Sallah, but consumers will only purchase what they can afford,” she explained.
Mr. John Nwabueze, a trader in the Agege area, expressed frustration over the lack of customers as Eid celebrations begin. “Sales have been notably low, with people buying only what their budgets allow. The market has been unusually quiet, affecting all commodities, including rice. A 50kg bag of rice is priced between N76,000 and N78,000, yet sales remain sluggish this Sallah,” he noted.
Mrs. Amina Fakunle, a resident of the Alimosho area, remarked that the high cost of pepper would lead consumers to celebrate in a more subdued manner. “Just six pieces of pepper cost about N500, which is the lowest price available. With these prices, people will likely opt for a low-key celebration,” she stated.
Mr. David Oriafo, a resident of the Dopemu area, also commented on the lack of festive activity in the market. “I managed to purchase a few items for my family to save costs, but it’s evident that the usual festive buzz is missing. People are only buying what they can afford, much like myself,” he shared. (NAN)
A Nigerian boxer, Segun “Success” Olanrewaju, has died after slumping during a boxing match in Ghana.
The Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Remi Aboderin confirmed the death of the boxer on Sunday.
The 40-year-old boxer, nicknamed “Success”, stumbled to the canvas while fighting Jon Mbanugu, a Ghanian, at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, on Saturday.
Olanrewaju was not punched or near his opponent when he collapsed violently in round three of the light-heavyweight bout.
The referee called the match immediately, and medical aid was ushered into the ring.
Olarenwaju died after he was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Ther boxer was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.
He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.
In 2022, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo, another boxer, also died after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) in a bout at the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Delta.
Igboanugo died after he took a fatal blow to the nose and did not survive the hit.