Ekwutosblog has gathered that President Bola Tinubu will leave France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, has said.

According to Onanuga, the president would co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“The presidential BNC, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.”

“President Tinubu and President Ramaphosa will engage in substantive talks on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international matters.

“Building on the commitments from their June 20, 2024, meeting in Johannesburg shortly after President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office, the two leaders will review the progress achieved since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.

“The 11th session of the BNC will feature deliberations across eight working groups, each focusing on a specific area of mutual interest. These include political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments.”

In his statement, Onanuga said officials of both countries would sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements.

The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission was established in 1999 to further strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

The first session at the Heads of State level was held in October 2019 in Pretoria.

The BNC provides a platform for sustaining high-level dialogue and promoting cooperation in critical areas such as diplomacy, economy, trade, security and other areas of mutual interest.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has responded to a revelation by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), that he (Gowon) intervened with the late Gen. Sani Abacha to spare Obasanjo’s life during his imprisonment.

Obasanjo was among those detained by Abacha’s regime over allegations of plotting a coup to overthrow the government.

Speaking during the inaugural Plateau Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival at the 10 Commandments Prayer Altar in Du, Jos South Local Government Area, over the weekend, Gowon disclosed that he had written to Abacha, urging him to show clemency to Obasanjo.

Gowon revealed that he delivered the letter through his wife, emphasising to Abacha that his role as a leader was to do good, not harm.

He expressed his gratitude that Obasanjo was not only released after Abacha’s death in June 1998 but also went on to serve as Nigeria’s president in 1999.

The following day, at the same Christmas carol event, Obasanjo acknowledged Gowon’s efforts, stating that he was unaware of the intervention until it was disclosed.

“I want to acknowledge my boss, General Yakubu Gowon. Yesterday, he made a revelation, and I have to thank you specifically for that. When I came out of prison, I had the opportunity to thank friends, inside and outside the country, who contributed to appeal and pray for my release from prison.

“And I went round the world thanking those that have been appealing and praying for my release from prison. But I did not know that you wrote a personal letter for my release until you said it yesterday; I thank you for that,” Obasanjo said.

The event was attended by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, alongside former governors Jonah Jang, Joshua Dariye, and Boni Haruna, among other dignitaries.

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Pensioners in Imo state have applauded the governor, Senator, Hope Uzodimma for ending their two decades of suffering through the payment of gratuities to them.

They noted that since the commencement of the current democratic dispensation in 1999,no administration in the state had deemed it fit to pay them their gratuities until Uzodimma remembered them.

Chairman of the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade J B Ugochukwu told newsmen in Owerri that this unprecedented gesture by the governor will ever remain evergreen in the memories of the senior citizens.

He disclosed that what has made the payment of gratuities remarkable is the fact that Uzodimma had earlier cleared their pension arrears while the monthly pensions are now regular.

” We can’t thank our God sent governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, enough. Although not everyone has been paid, the majority have received theirs and are full of gratitude to him, “he declared.

Corroborating the chairman’s assertion, a pensioner, Mrs Mary Nkemjika, said she could not believe it when she was paid her gratuities after 15 years of waiting.

According to her, ” I retired in 2009. Since then, no government has paid me one kobo in the name of gratuities. Even the monthly pension was coming irregularly. Please help me thank His Excellency for this miracle. ”

In his own testimonial, Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro from Arondizuogu disclosed that he was speechless when his gratuities came.

” I never thought I would be alive to receive my gratuities. It’s only God that could have used the governor to accomplish this feat. I give Him all the glory, “he submitted.

Similarly, Mr Joe Nwadike from Aboh Mbaise acknowledged the payment of his gratuities after a 17-year wait and prayed for a long life for the governor.

He said since the coming of Uzodimma, he had been receiving his pensions regularly, describing the payment of gratuities as an icing in the cake.

” I have personally written to the Commissioner for Information to extend my gratitude
to the governor and thank him personally for me. I am still waiting for his reply because what has happened has never happened since 1999, “he said