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Archbishop Patrick Ekpu of Benin City Dies at 92
Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu, the Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, has passed away at the age of 92. His death occurred on the evening of Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 7:09 PM, following a brief illness.
The news of his passing was communicated by Most Reverend Augustine Obiora Akubeze, the current Archbishop of Benin City Archdiocese.
The announcement was made through a statement signed on behalf of Akubeze by Very Rev. Fr. Michael Oyanoafoh, the Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin.
In the statement, Archbishop Akubeze requested that priests, religious leaders, and the lay faithful of the archdiocese keep the late Archbishop Ekpu in their prayers. Details regarding the funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
Archbishop Ekpu was born in Uromi, located in the Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, in 1931. He was ordained a priest on July 7, 1963.
His leadership in the Catholic Church was marked by his appointment as Bishop of Benin City on July 5, 1973, and later as Archbishop of Benin City on March 26, 1994.
He served in this capacity until his retirement on November 21, 2006. His legacy will be remembered by the Catholic community he served so faithfully throughout his life.
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“You Can Still Have Subsidy Without Long Queues” — Rufai Oseni Speaks On Subsidy
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Speaks on Lagos’ Power Challenges and the Need for Change
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Declares August 20 Public Holiday in Lagos for Isese Festival
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
