News
PH Security Operatives And Street Carnivals
The New Webster’s Dictionary Of English Language, International Edition, defines Carnival as any public festivity usually with processions, dancing and side shows.
If this definition is anything to go by, it is therefore, not surprising to see that governments all over the world, corporate organisations and individuals make huge budgetary allocation to develop and promote the social, religious, intellectual and artistic potentials of the citizenry through various forms of carnivals particularly, culture.
A typical example of such fiesta in Nigeria was the 1977 Festival of Arts and Culture tagged “FESTAC 77” under the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo when different cultural troupes and Artistes show-cased the rich cultural heritage and intellectual potentials of the country.
Since then, the Carnival landscape of the country has witnessed one form of festival or the other as the federal, states and local governments organised annual cultural festivals to develop and harness the rich talents of our youths as well as tourism potentials of the country.
Here in Rivers State, the present administration under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has done enough to provide platform and opportunities for the indigenes and residents of the state to develop their God-given potentials in all human endeavours.
To be precise, Rivers State government sponsored over 1,000 participants who represented 30 different groups and officials in the just-concluded Abuja cultural fiesta, the largest contingent of the festival.
Again, the government has also kick-started the on-going cultural Carnival tagged “CARNIRIV 2009” to further demonstrate its commitment towards promoting and developing social, intellectual, artistic and tourism potentials of the state.
According to the programme of events, this year’s CARNIRIV has been expanded to one week in order to accommodate more than 500 different cultural troupes from various parts of the state at the Elekahia CARNIRIV Village, Port Harcourt.
It is against this backdrop that one is skeptical about the sudden emergence of youth Carnivals in the street of Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital in recent times.
Although, one is not against the development of youths talents and potentials through street Carnivals but it is imperative to point out the security implications of such youths gatherings in the Niger Delta region particularly Rivers State, since the experience of cult clashes is an open wound in the state.
Infact, feelers from some of the street carnivals indicate that if nothing is done to nip them in the bud, the state may be in for another round of cult war or at best, street clashes in Port Harcourt.
For example, the police in mile three area of Port Harcourt metropolis was said to have averted what would have been an ugly clash at Ojiegbu Street in Diobu area when the residents of the street resisted an attempt by the organisers of the street carnival to extort money from them for the street carnival.
Similarly, last Tuesday, there was a pandemonium at Obidianso Street also in Diobu area of Port Harcourt when some residents of the street resisted an attempt to impose a levy of N2,000 each on the premises by the organisers of the Street Carnival billed to commence next week.
From the fore going, it is obvious that Rivers State government and indeed, security operatives in the state should act decisively now before the Port Harcourt Street Carnivals metamorphose into cult groups.
Nwankwo is the editor’s guest.
Isaac Nwankwo
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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