Solomon's Column

Charges Include Conspiracy to Forcibly Repatriate PRC Nationals, Attempted Obstruction of a Criminal Prosecution, and Conspiracy to Act as an Illegal Agent of a Foreign Country In three separate cases in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the District of New Jersey, the Justice Department has charged 13 individuals, including members of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) security and intelligence apparatus and their agents, for alleged efforts to unlawfully exert influence in the United States for the benefit of the government of the PRC. In the Eastern District of New York, an eight-count indictment was unsealed on Oct. 20 charging seven PRC nationals – two of whom were arrested on Oct. 20 in New York – with participating in a scheme to cause the forced repatriation of a PRC national residing in the United States. The defendants are accused of conducting surveillance of and engaging in a campaign to harass and coerce a U.S. resident to return to th

The Health System in Nigeria has passed through a lot of challenging times. This assertion was made on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Physicians' Week of the Oyo state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) with theme, ''Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition : A Time to Change the Narrative by the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria, Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo. ''The Nigeria health system has suffered a lot, this is a backward change. This year's budget gave the health sector an encouraging allocation; over a trillion Naira. The Government of the day and others should manage the budget for the health sector. I just pray that the health system would not collapse. I urge all of you o use your influential positions to help us in the health system,'' Prof. Otegbayo stated. In his presentation on the theme of the week, the Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo

Your ability to take difficult decisions would go a long way in determining your survival in business. There must be consistency in making decisions considered to be necssary, but unpopular and difficult, timely. Decisions such as the shutting down of unproductive branches and the retrenchment of redundant staff should not be allowed to linger for so long. Be observant, when you discover that any of your employee is not meeting up to the set standard, it is better to do the needful. When you make hard decisions, wrong strategies, the wrong people and the wrong projects are put at bay.

In the process of making difficult decisions, ask God to guide you to avoiding making mistakes; and be confident that God is working out His will in your life. 1 Samuel-23 : 1-5 1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Environmental pollution has become part and parcel of daily life in major cities in Nigeria as a result of the lack of political will by the appropriate authorities to enforce relevant laws. Street trading and hawking on the main road, road verges, medians, setbacks, drainages, pedestrian bridges and walkways have become permanent features in these cities, since those responsible for the menace are well wishers, supporters and loyalists of political office holders. Even though there are designated market locations, Those-in-Charge are very reluctant to wield the big stick because of the urgent need for political preservation. Indeed, pickpocketing thrives in these locations, as it has become a veritable source of income with the covert cooperation of commuters, transporters and law enforcement personnel. The free flow of human and vehicular traffic would continue to be hindered in these cities, if the political overlords today fail to facilitate not only the regulation of street tr

The Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) in Oyo state has declared that it shall not endorse any candidate for the 2023 general elections in line with its status as a professional association. This declaration was made on Monday, by the NMA chairman, Dr. Wale Lasisi, during a Press conference to outline activities lined up for the Physicians' week 2022 with theme, ''Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition : A Time to Change the Narrative'' in Ibadan, Nigeria. ''That is absolutely untrue. We are apolitical, we are not endorsing any candidate, we will not endorse any candidate, we are making plans to invite gubernatorial candidates. NMA is not endorsing any candidate, we are a group of professionals without political bias. We all know that as an association we have members with different political backgrounds.'' Similarly, the National President of the NMA, Dr. Uche Ojinmah has called on Nigerians not to back candidat