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Chinese Community in Kano Celebrates Traditional New Year, Highlighting Growing Nigeria-China Ties

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Chinese nationals residing in Kano State are currently celebrating their country’s traditional new year.

Reports indicate that the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar.

Kano State played host to a unique celebration of Chinese New Year, where Wu Qun, popularly known as “Tea Master,” highlighted the growing cultural and economic ties between Nigeria and China.

Speaking passionately about his love for Kano and its people, Wu Qun expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality he has experienced since moving to the city.

“People here are very nice, and they have strong faith. I want more Chinese people to come to this place because Kano holds a special place in my heart,” he said.

Wu Qun praised the development efforts in the state, noting the improved infrastructure and leadership. “The roads being built show how much Kano has changed for the better. It makes me happy to see the city thriving and people helping each other.”

Reflecting on the significance of the Chinese New Year, Wu Qun described it as a time for family reunions and cultural celebration. “In China, families come together during this season, celebrating with performances, fireworks, and traditional dinners. It’s a way to honor our history and look forward to a prosperous year ahead,” he explained.

Wu Qun emphasized the importance of fostering cultural understanding between China and Nigeria. He pointed to the increasing number of Nigerians studying and doing business in China as evidence of the strong ties between the two nations.

“This relationship is growing not just at the government level but also among the people,” he added.

As the Chinese New Year celebrations bring both cultures together, Wu Qun hopes for continued collaboration, mutual understanding, and prosperity for both nations.

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Kano State Government Urged to Form Neighborhood Security Watch

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In a bid to enhance security in Kano State, a call has been made to the state government to establish a state neighborhood security watch, with a focus on incorporating retired security personnel for greater effectiveness. This appeal was made during the monthly meeting of the Kano State Command of the Coalition Joint Task Force (C-JTF), led by its State Commandant, Ambassador Sani Elmansur.

Addressing the meeting, Ambassador Elmansur commended the governor’s initiative to implement this security measure, emphasizing that it comes at a crucial time for Kano. He highlighted the pressing need for such an organization to tackle the various security challenges the state faces, particularly phone snatching, drug addiction, and the more severe issue of yandaba (gang) operations within the state.

Ambassador Elmansur further advised the state government to leverage the existing community policing groups already working closely with security personnel in the state. He mentioned groups such as the Coalition Joint Task Force, vigilante groups, and the Peace Corps, noting that their established relationships with the community would be instrumental in forming a robust and effective state-owned security watch.

“The governor’s initiative is timely and necessary to address the insecurity challenges in Kano. By integrating the community policing groups already active in the state, we can create a vibrant and strong security watchdog to protect our citizens,” said Ambassador Elmansur.

The proposal aims to provide a comprehensive approach to security by utilizing the experience and expertise of retired security personnel while building on the foundations laid by existing community policing efforts. This collaborative approach is expected to enhance the overall security framework in Kano State and ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.

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Forbes: Aliko Dangote’s wealth surges by almost 100% to $23.9bn, now 86th richest in the world

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Aliko Dangote

 

Billionaire Aliko Dangote has seen his wealth nearly double to $23.9 billion, according to Forbes, which ranks the Nigerian entrepreneur as the wealthiest person in Africa and 86th in the world. It would be recalled that Forbes ranked Aliko Dangote as the 144th richest person in the world in 2024 with $13.4 billion.

Forbes estimates Dangote’s net worth at $23.9 billion, primarily due to his 92.3 percent stake in Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals. At 67 years old, Dangote is once again one of the top 100 richest individuals worldwide, a position he has not held since 2018, according to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List.

This places him significantly ahead of South African Johann Rupert, who is ranked 161st in the world with an estimated wealth of $14.4 billion and very far above Mike Adenuga, who is the second richest in Nigeria and 481, in the world, with a net worth of $6.8 billion.

Dangote disrupted the government’s oil monopoly by constructing the largest petroleum refinery in Africa. After 11 years, a $23 billion investment, and numerous challenges, the Dangote Refinery began operations last year. Located on a vast 6,200-acre site in the Lekki Free Zone, the refinery, at full capacity, will process a remarkable 650,000 barrels per day (b/d), making it the seventh-largest refinery in the world and the largest in Africa. Additionally, the refinery’s adjacent petrochemical complex has an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tons of urea, making it Africa’s largest fertiliser producer.

The Dangote Refinery is already having a significant impact on global energy markets. Imports of petroleum into Nigeria are on track to reach an eight-year low, affecting European refiners that have traditionally sold to Nigeria, according to energy intelligence firm Vortexa. Furthermore, Nigeria has become a net exporter of jet fuel, naphtha (a solvent used in varnishes, laundry soaps, and cleaning fluids), and fuel oil, according to S&P Global.

Dangote sees the refinery as part of a larger vision to transform Nigeria, one of the world’s largest crude oil producers, into a major producer of refined petroleum products. This would enable Nigeria to compete with European refineries and supply gasoline to Nigerian consumers.

 “I want to provide a blueprint for industrialisation across Africa,” Dangote says in an interview with Forbes. “We have to build our nation by ourselves. We have to build our continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment.” He believes Africa has long been “a mere dumping ground for finished products,” and his refinery represents “a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa can refine its own crude oil, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for its vast population.”

 Dangote said the refinery is the biggest risk of his life and without success, it would have affected him greatly.  

“It was the biggest risk of my life,” says Dangote about his decision to embark on the project. “If this didn’t work, I was dead.”

Zainab Usman, director of the Africa Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, according to Forbes, said Nigerians see Dangote as a hero and a real industrialist transforming the country.

 “He is seen in most parts of Nigeria as a hero. He is seen as a real industrialist who builds things,” she said.

 A professor of African studies at the Soka University of America, Chika Ezeanya, also corroborated this view, noting that Dangote is meeting the needs of consumers on the continent. 

“I think he’s believed staunchly in the fact that Nigerians need products that he has to offer,” he said while adding, “Governments can come and go, policies can be changed, but the needs of the Nigerian consumer will only grow and expand.”

 

 

 

 

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Former Federal Minster Edwin Clark Dies At 97

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Former Federal Commissioner for Information and elder statesman, Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has passed away at the age of 97. His family confirmed his death in a statement, announcing that he died on Monday night, February 17, 2025.

“The Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, Delta State, wishes to announce the passing of Chief (Dr.) Sen. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, on Monday 17th February 2025,” the statement read.

Born in Kiagbodo, in the Ijaw area of present-day Delta State, Clark had a distinguished career in public service. He attended schools in Effurun, Okrika, and Afugbene before completing further studies at the Government Teacher Training College, now Delta State University, Abraka. After a brief stint as a school teacher, he traveled abroad to obtain a law degree.

Clark played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s governance, serving as an adviser to military governor David Ejoor of the Mid-Western Region in 1966. He later worked with the administrations of military governor Samuel Ogbemudia and Nigeria’s head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, from 1966 to 1975. In 1975, he was appointed Federal Commissioner for Information.

Beyond his government service, Clark remained a key voice in the Niger Delta, championing the interests of the region. As the chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), he was a relentless advocate for resource control and the rights of the Niger Delta people.

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His passing marks the end of an era for Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly in the South-South region.

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