Woman took less than a minute to deliver her baby herself at hospital entrance while husband searched for a place to park

A UK couple, Jessica Stubbins and her husband Tom have described the moment they welcomed their baby girl named Lucy at the entrance to Scunthorpe General Hospital without medical help.

CCTV caught the moment Jessica delivered her daughter all by herself the minute she walked through first set of doors at the hospital. Her husband Tom missed the moment as he was still in the parking lot searching for a place to park.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Tom, a butcher, told how Jessica exclaimed:

'It's a girl, it's a girl! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!'

He recalled: 'She felt really guilty because I missed it. I was just in absolute shock and I didn't know what was happening.'

Jessica said: 'I just told Tom he best drop me off at the door as he parked the car.
'And then I was trying to close the door really quick and then as I got out I just knew that she was on the way.'

After Lucy's birth, nurses arrived and wrapped her in a hoodie before taking the family inside.

Show host Kate Garraway expressed her amazement at the unusual birth saying:

 'You didn't even sit down! This is what I can't understand; you're just so casual about it.'

Jessica, who works as an assistant manager at Card Factory, laughed: 'She was just coming. There was no stopping her, there was no time to sit down.'

Jessica had visited the hospital earlier that day but it wasn't until midnight before she discovered her bay, Lucy just couldn't wait and the couple decided to dash back to the hospital.

More photos...

Jessica wih her Huband Tom and baby Lucy

Aisha Buhari shocked over UNICEF reports that a staggering 2.5 Nigerian children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition

The two year-old Abubakar pictured with his mother, who lives in Kano State Nigeria, is one of the more than 400,000 children UNICEF has treated for severe acute malnutrition recently.

Wife of the Nigerian President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari was so shocked by UNICEF reports that a staggering 2.5 Nigerian children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition that she recently launched an initiative to fight child malnutrition in Nigeria.

Mrs. Buhari’s ‘Get Involved’ initiative is looking for the support of ordinary Nigerians and will also be working with the private sector, development partners, non-governmental organisations and UNICEF to help end child malnurition in the country.

Gleaned: Linda Ikeji

Photos from the Rio 2016 Olympics opening ceremony

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games Opening Ceremony took place at the 80,000-seater Marcana Stadium in Brazil. More photos after the cut.

B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G: Abducted Lagos monarch regains freedom

Lagos monarch, Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni who was recently kidnapped by unknown gunmen has regained his freedom.

According to Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni  who confirmed  the Oba’s release on Saturday night, the leader of the kidnappers had been arrested. Recall that the kidnappers had demanded the sum of N500 million ransom which the victim’s family members said they could not afford. 
Details soon

Why I want Ize-Iyamu to be governor, by Don Pedro Obaseki

When you took the decision  not to participate in the APC governorship primaries, what was actually on your mind?

Actually, it was a very painful decision and  my decision to run for the governorship  was also originally based on my belief that it was time for people to step forward and rescue the state. I believe that we should change the wrong notion that politics is for the never-do-wells and insincere people. What actually led to my withdrawal from the APC primaries was that when I got to Abuja, I sensed that the primaries would be rigged. I pulled out of the primaries because it was not all about winning, but letting people know that they have choices and that is why I started shopping for other parties that might give me a chance to run. Principal among the parties was the YDP, Labour Party which actually gave me honorary membership card and Accord Party. I looked at the YDP, it is a party for the future, I looked at Labour, there were too many hiccups; Accord Party, their structure was just coming up, so, I decided to settle for Accord Party. My belief was that I would run and going forward, I never knew that we will get to where we are today. As fate would have it, the Accord people met me and we went to the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja, completed all the formalities and offered the nomination since I was the only one who has purchased the nomination form and we came back to Benin. The date of the primaries was fixed for the 4th of July, 2016, and it was held with relevant observers from INEC and security agents.We heard on the date of the submission of the nomination form that there was a court injunction  with a 48 page supporting affidavit by one Samson Isibor and Isaac Adeniyi alleging that the National Executive of the party was not the actual National Executive, although that National Executive was the one recognized by INEC on its website. The only alternative for me when it was just seven weeks to the election to start fighting a court case when the court was on its vacation to resume on September 29, was to opt out of the race because it was a coup that was planned against me.  When INEC did not publish my name as a result of the court injunction the only reasonable thing to do was to wait and see or move back to my business. Why did you decide to support Pastor Ize-Iyamu? Pastor Ize-Iyamu apart from sending emissaries to me drove to my house on one of the Sundays with the entire PDP state executive led by Chief Dan Orbih to solicit for my support. He gave me his manifesto, I asked questions and he gave me satisfactory answers and I also insisted that some of those pet projects that I had in mind must be added to his Simple Agenda for Edo people. So, anybody that I am going to support must have that. It is not a matter of family issue because I love my family but I love Edo State more. So, if Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has solicited my support, it is beholden on me to listen to him and it is beholden on me to look out of the two that would best serve the  interest of my children and the children of all those who work, live and are indigenes of Edo State.  I realised that the best thing for the future of our children, their children’s children that it is better for me to support Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. And the Accord Party also decided to cooperatively support him and on Sunday, the Accord Party executive hosted Pastor Ize-Iyamu and opted to support him. But members of the larger Obaseki family seem not happy with you over your decision to support Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is your first cousin…? I don’t want to reply them because my family is not a political party, my family is not a political pressure group, and my family is my family. The act of a few members of the family particularly those who have gone to the press, Mr, William Obaseki and Chief Oyuki Obaseki, to disparage me in the public will not make me to degenerate to replying them, but it is on record that they are neither the head nor spokespersons of my family. If the official head or spokesperson  of the family does that, I will reply because I am not the only Obaseki who is on the Pastor Ize-Iyamu campaign train. When you threw your cap into the ring to contest the governorship election, did it occur to you that one of you had been programmed to emerge as a preferred candidate? The truth of the matter is no.  Before the primaries, I went round the wards, preaching that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will be a man of history because he told me from the beginning that no man is God, he told me that it is one man, one vote and I have spoken with him  severally before then and I believed that the man will duly and truly exhibit that which he had preached before. So, I was very shocked that Oshiomhole who said, one man, one vote, who said no man is God, who said death to godfathers would now be the one who appears to be doing otherwise. There is this argument in the state that the governor’s preference for Godwin Obaseki was to enable him get someone who will be on the same page with him and watch his back? There is no act yet to tell the mind’s design of the face but when you are profiling, you profile from actions and Oshiomhole’s action seem to tilt towards that but the people are wiser. From what we have seen playing out, it is Oshiomhole who is going to perpetrate the Biblical hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob. Many people are of the view that the governorship candidates of the two major parties are engaged in campaign of hate and are not addressing issues. How do you react to this? I don’t truly agree on this because I have not heard Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu come to the open and throw unbridled insults at the other party. It is Oshiomhole that we should blame. Before Ize-Iyamu started his campaign he has given out his agenda to everybody in a book form. When I was growing up especially in the Second Republic when we had the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and others, they all had their agenda. The UPN for instance had its free education, free health, integrated rural services and the NPN green revolution. But this is the first time any of the aspirants will have a published agenda, the SIMPLE AGENDA. So, anybody who wants to know about Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s manifesto for Edo State needs to go through the document; but I do not know what the agenda of the APC is for Edo State. What will be your advice for the average Edo voter? If we don’t change this change, what we get will just be a mere exchange, a mere cosmetic make over.  My advice to the average Edo voter is guard his vote, protect his vote, make his voice emerge because it is time to make our voices emerge from the dented politics of the past. I will appeal to the voters be they market women, traders, bus drivers and the youths to help re-write the future of Edo State in gold by voting for someone who has the state at heart. I am canvassing seriously for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Former Golden Eaglets Star, Peter Ogaba Is Dead

Former Golden Eaglets star, Peter Ogaba, is dead. 42-year-old Ogaba is said to have died after a brief illness in Abuja.

Ogaba  was before his death, the youngest Nigerian player at the FIFA U-20 World Cup hosted by Saudi Arabia in 1989 where Nigeria lost in the final to Portugal was also the youngest player to feature at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup at Canada ’87. According to a condolence statement by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, “We are shocked to hear of the sad demise of former Junior Int’l Peter Ogaba. Ogaba was part of the Eaglets at Canada 87,” the NFF wrote.

Budget Padding Not An Offence -Dogara

The Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria, Mr Yakubu Dogara, says he will not resign despite allegations of budget padding against him.

Mr Dogara made the statement after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.

Dogara, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, first feigned ignorance of the term, budget padding. But he later said  it constituted no offence under the law.

The Speaker, who has come under pressure in some quarters to resign since the allegations were made, was at the Presidential Villa apparently to explain his own side of the story to President Buhari.

Their meeting lasted about 30 minutes.

What informed your visit? 

Dogara: Can’t I come and see my President? Do I need any reason to come and see my President? It’s a private visit.

Was the issue of alleged budget padding discussed? 

Dogara: What is budget padding?

The language emanated from your chambers 

Dogara: I don’t know, educate me. I am a lawyer and speaker and I have never heard of the word padding. What does padding mean?

The former chairman of the Appropriation Committee said you padded the budget 

Dogara: Ask him. He who alleges must prove. That’s the law in Nigeria

Are you not going to defend yourself?

Dogara: Am I before a court?

There are people saying you should reconvene the House before the September resumption time and step aside for a thorough investigation

Trump Repeats False Claim About Iran Ransom Before Admitting Lie

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has repeated a claim he watched a "top secret" video showing Iranian officials receiving money from the U.S. in exchange for five prisoners, even after one of his staffers admitted no such video exists. This is Trump speaking on the campaign trail on Wednesday in Florida.

Donald Trump: "I’ll never forget the scene this morning. And remember this: Iran—I don’t think you’ve heard this anywhere but here—Iran provided all of that footage, the tape, of taking that money off that airplane. Right? $400 million in cash. How does a president do that?"

Trump repeated the claim on Thursday in Maine. But then, on Friday, Trump tweeted, "The plane I saw on television was the hostage plane in Geneva, Switzerland, not the plane carrying $400 million in cash going to Iran!" Some Republicans, including Trump, have said the money was a ransom for five prisoners, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, released by Iran. The Obama administration said Wednesday the $400 million in cash paid to Iran in January was a pre-planned transfer that was part of the landmark nuclear deal. The money has been owed to Iran since the 1970s, when the U.S. refused to send weapons Iran had already paid for following the Iranian revolution.

Breaking: WAEC Releases 2016 May/June Results, 53% Passed

52.97% of candidates made credits in 5 subjects including English andMathematics as the West AfricanExaminations (WAEC), on Friday, released its 2016 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The results of 137,295, representing 8.89%candidates, were withheld.

Just as a total of eight hundred and seventy eight thousand and forty (878,040)candidates, representing 52.97%, obtained credits in five (5) subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.”

It will be recalled that in 2014 and 2015 the percentage of candidates that obtained five (5) creditsand above including English Language and Mathematics in the WASSCE were 31.28% and 38.68% respectively.

The Head of Nigeria National Office, Nigeria, Mr Olu Adenipekun while briefing journalists explained that the withheld results are in connection with various cases of examination malpractice, adding, “the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the Council in due course for consideration.”

Nigeria’s latest fuel price raise in May 2016

Despite the recent 68 per cent hike in petrol price, Nigeria’s retail pump price of N145 per litre of petrol ranks among the lowest in the world.

A review of retail prices of petrol in 175 countries shows that Nigeria has the 13th least petrol price at approximately $0.50, or N145 per litre, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com.

Kuwait has the lowest petrol price in the world, at $0.21 or N61.37 per litre.

The world’s costliest petrol prices are found in Hong Kong (N535.38 per litre), Norway (N490.19) and Iceland (N474.76).

Most countries with the lowest petrol prices belong to the 14-member Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), namely Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Qatar, Iran, Ecuador, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Indonesia, Venezuela, Iraq, Libya, Gabon and Angola.

But when it comes to the price of fuel, Nigeria’s standing is not so impressive in OPEC and Africa.

Of 14 OPEC countries reviewed, Nigeria has the sixth most expensive rate.

Also, despite Nigeria’s reputation as Africa’s biggest producer of hydrocarbons, petrol is cheaper in Algeria than in Nigeria.

Petrol sells for $0.28, or N80.94 per litre, in that North African country.

In Africa generally, the fuel sells for the highest rate in Zimbabwe, at N371.70 per litre.

Fuel hike

Nigeria’s latest fuel price raise in May 2016 was as usual met with resistance from the organized labour. Eventually, the government prevailed.

Many Nigerians argue that as a top producer of oil and gas, Nigeria has no business selling petrol to his citizens at exorbitant rates.

The government says its fuel subsidy programme that drove the price down had been abused and was fueling massive corruption.

Part of the corruption sees marketers and dealers smuggling subsidized fuel into nearby countries where they sell at higher prices.

Data from GlobalPetrolPrices.com shows that all the countries bordering Nigeria, particularly in the Economic Community of West Africsn States (ECOWAS), have some of the highest fuel prices.

Some of Nigeria’s neighbours include Cameroun, where petrol is sold at N308.77 per litre; Burkina Faso (N354.51), Gambia (N347.84), Senegal (N336.40), Mali (N328.17), Guinea (N280.89), Ivory Coast (N275.89), Ghana (N260.90), Niger (N255.80), Liberia (N240.17), Togo (N218.78), Chad (N219.71), and Sierra Leone (N191.28).

Petrol prices in OPEC countries.

S/N	Country	GDP per capita ($)	Price Per Litre in dollar	Price per Litre in Naira Equivalent	Crude oil Export 000 P/B
1.	Kuwait	$28,469	$0.21	N61.37	2,858.7
2.	Saudi Arabia	$21,061	$0.23	N68.41	10,192.6
3.	Algeria	$4,551	$0.28	N80.94	1,157.1
4.	Qatar	$68,765	$0.31	N109.57	656.0
5.	Iran	$4,949	$0.39	N113.56	3,151.6
6.	Ecuador	$6,086	$0.39	N113.56	543.1
7.	UnitedArab Emirates	$38,649	$0.48	N141.03	2,988.9
8.	Nigeria	$2,646	$0.50	N145	1,748.2
9.	Indonesia	$3,486	$0.60	N174.49	690.1
10.	Venezuela	$7,809	$0.60	N174.49	2,653.9
11.	Iraq	$4,588	$0.61	N179.12	3,504.1
12.	Gabon	NA	$0.82	N240.52,	NA
13.	Angola	$3,993	$0.94	N273.80	1.767.1
14.	Libya	$6,058			403.9

Source: Globalpetrolprices.com

Lagos state govt close Marine Bridge/Road in Apapa for repair work

The Lagos State Government has announced the closure of the Marine Bridge Road (Inward Ijora) preparatory to the commencement of repair works by the contractors of the Federal Ministry of Works. A statement signed by the Commissioner for Transport, Dayo Mobereola, states that the emergency and immediate closure is to also allow the Federal Ministry carryout studies to determine the state of the Bridge and effect appropriate repairs.
The state Government has put in place effective traffic management strategies that will mitigate the impact of the closure. Accordingly, the following routes can be use by commuters as alternate route. They are:
i. Traffic coming from Wharf Base/Point Road should divert at service Lane (Marine Beach Road) by Leventis Junction to Link Lilly Pond by Dockyard and ascend Ijora Bridge to continue their journey.

ii. Motorists traveling to Ajegunle should take a left turn at the second junction under the Apapa Road Bridge to Marine Beach Junction inward Ajegunle or back to Ijora Bridge and continue their journey.

The statement says the options are not to be used by heavy duty vehicles. The State Government implored National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) and its members to observe the reroute especially so as not to block the road when accessing the Tank Farms at Lilly Pond.

The State Government among other initiatives deployed various signages directing traffic appropriately. It is equally important to ask motorist to please obey personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies deployed to control and manage traffic in the area.