Pep Opara's Blog

In a chat with Vanguardngr, aphysically-challenged waste collector in Calabar, Cross River State, Effanga Francis Umoh, has revealed that he does not go to hospital when sick, but drinks native herbs and smokes marijuana to get cured. Umoh, who serves as refuse disposal agent to the market women, revealed that it was lack of money that pushed him into using marijuana as medical therapy. Unlike other refuse disposal agents in the market, who log waste baskets on their heads, in wheelbarrows or trucks, Umoh shuffles his king-size basket filled with waste to point of disposal, while crawling on his buttocks. His words: “The money the market women pay to pack their refuse cannot even buy me enough food to eat and igbo (marijuana) to cool my body, so which one do I take to the hospital for treatment? I stay at home and buy herbs from Mallam and smoke some igbo and God always cures me. Even when I have sores on my body because of scratching on the ground, I burn the sores wi...

But why?! Is the country so bad! RIP According to reports, the incident happened yesterday, at Sri Puri Condominium Kuala Lumpur. The deceased, a student of the City University, Kuala Lumpur, was said to have heard noise from the officers and decided to flee.

Brand influencer, ”How to make money on Instagram” author and mother of one, Laura Ikeji in a post on social media says fame without money is funny. The message was directed at celebrities whom Laura has now advised to join the entrepreneurial bandwagon so that they can make cool cash for themselves. Laura wrote on Instagram: ”Even you dear celebrity, some of ya’ll need to join the entrepreneur gang. Fame without money is funny. Like yo, really funny.

The Federal Government says it is working with Libyan Authority to negotiate the release of all Nigerians in Libya slave camps and ensure their repatriation safely to the country. Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that negotiations were ongoing with some of the militia groups controlling some camps who were demanding money to allow access to their camps. The minister said he had a meeting with the outgoing Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Attai Alkhoder, who promised his country’s cooperation to ensure the release of Nigerians in the slave camps. He said the federal government was working relentlessly to ensure that all Nigerians in Libya slave camps were repatriated safely to the country. “I met with the Libyan ambassador who promised to cooperate on the issue of migrants; I let him know that we appreciate what the Libya is doing. “We agreed on way forward, that the Libya government will continue to ...

Man’s corpse found with his eye plucked out in Lagos. The body of a dead man was, this morning, discovered in Surulere, Lagos. According to reports, his corpse was thrown into a canal at Ijesha, Surulere, after being killed. On close inspection, it was discovered that his eye was plucked out.

President Donald Trump fired his secretary of state on Tuesday, announcing on Twitter that he would elevate his spymaster to the role of global diplomat-in-chief. And he said he will appoint a woman to lead the CIA for the first time in history. 'Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job!' the president tweeted. 'Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!' President Donald Trump fired his secretary of state on Tuesday without telling him personally, announcing on Twitter that he would dismiss Rex Tillerson and elevate the nation's spymaster to the role of global diplomat-in-chief. And he said he will appoint a woman to lead the CIA for the first time in history. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Steven Goldstein said in a statement that Tillerson 'had ...

Households have become severely traumatised nationwide, by the escalating prices of goods and services, particularly in the last six months or so. The uneasy feeling that one’s pocket has been picked has probably become common after every visit to the market, as the smallest available plastic sachet may be all that is needed to pack your N10,000 purchase(s) from the ubiquitous street corner medicine stores in our cities. In retrospect, in 1977, the highest naira denomination was the N20 note, popularly hailed as “Muri” (because of its embossment with the effigy of General Murtala Muhammed), exchanged for the princely sum of almost $30 when it was first issued. Unfortunately, after the serial devaluations which followed the IMF inspired Structural Adjustment Programme, the N1,000 note, by 2005, became the highest denomination in our currency, and exchanged for just over $8. Sadly, the latest round of naira devaluation in the last 12 months or so has further depleted the exchang...

Omamen Iyawe, the wife of Pastor Idahosa Iyawe, Assistant Pastor of The StandPoint Church, Abuja, is dead. According to the church, the 29-year-old mom was deeply and intensely lost in worship, lifted up her hands and was called to a higher place of praise and worship.   Mrs. Iyawe died on the 4th of March 2018, during Sunday service. More pics after the cut...

A policeman identified as Imomoh, died over the weekend during a clash between the youth and a team of soldiers drafted to maintain peace at the burial reception in honour of a 111-years-old woman in Boboroku community of Jesse. According to reports, there was rowdiness during the sharing of food and drinks, and in the process some of the youth allegedly made attempts to disarm two soldiers, who had tried to restore orderliness. Paul Amodu, a guest at the reception said: “The soldiers were called in to restore calm after the youths in the community tried to hijack food meant for guests at the reception. Vexed by the presence of the soldiers, the youths turned their anger on them, leading to fisticuffs amidst gunshots by the soldiers, during which Imomoh was said to have been hit by a bullet; he slumped and died. The death of the policeman enraged the youths who went wild, attacking guests and destroying vehicles. The soldiers had to apply minimum force in trying to de...

Gosh!! No warm welcome indeed! The pictures don't lie. Visiting President Muhammadu Buhari had a taste of the peoples’ feelings towards him in Benue State today when he was told pointblank that the people of the state were not happy with him. Former governor of the state and now a senator George Akume conveyed his peoples bitterness against the president at a town hall meeting the president had with the communities. Akume expressed the anger of the Tivs with the president over the way and manner he handled herdsmen killings in the state. Hear Akume speak: “Your Excellency, you could recall that Senator David Mark was Senate President while Suswam was the Chief Security of the State, yet the Tiv people voted for you in 2015. “We have no federal project in Benue State, Ortom does not make law, Benue People made the law, JS Tarka fought for the unity of our country Nigeria, Mr. President the Tiv people are not happy about your reaction towards the...

Suspected herdsmen have killed 25 persons in another attack in Plateau State. Those killed in the attack are 19 men, three women and three children. The incident occurred on Monday night in Dundu village, Kwall District in Bassa Local Government Area of the state, Channels Television reports. PM News