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Govt Should Explore Alternative Energy Sources -Don

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After spending more than a decade in the field working for some reputable multinational firms, it is hardly the case that any Nigerian would willingly opt to join the faculty of any of the nation’s beleaguered tertiary institutions where teachers are in a near perennial tug-of-war against the government over salaries and poor funding.

But that was the exact path toed by Dr. Chibuogwu Eze, an Enugu State-born scholar and senior research fellow at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt.

In this interview with The Tide’s Business Editor, Ibelema Jumbo and Senior Reporter, Ike Wigodo, the varsity don advises government on non-fossil fuel resources and better waste management methods, among other issues. Excerpt:

Professional Background

My name is Dr Chibuogwu L. Eze. I have a Ph.D in Applied Geophysics. I read Geology first degree and read Applied Geophysics for my Masters degree and Ph.D.

Every of my degree is from Nigeria. My first degree is from the University of Calabar. I started my university education in 1978 and got a degree in 1982, then in 1985, I got a masters degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and in 1999, I got a Ph.D from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.

I started working after obtaining a Masters degree. My first work experience was in a solid mineral exploration company, Rock View Nigeria Ltd, with headquarters in Paris but had a local office in Jos, Plateau State. I later left Rock View and joined a sister company, Rock View-Slovak. Rock Slovak was a joint venture with Rock View. It was owned by the Czech government.

The good thing I had during the time I worked was that I stayed briefly in 35 out of the 36 states of the federation. I think as a geologist, I have had so much experience in solid mineral exploration; I wished and prayed that I could also have experience in the oil mineral industry. In 1992, I was able to actualise that, when I joined an American oil exploration company, Western Geophysical, based here in Port Harcourt. I had another wish and prayer that I could take the skill back to the university and train younger geologists. Again, in 1995, that was actualised. On my own, I left oil exploration and joined the Rivers State University of Science and Technology where I still work as a senior research fellow in the Institute of Geosciences and Space Technology.

I joined Western Geophysical Oil Services in 1992 and we started oil exploration and I did that extensively. There is hardly any creek in Rivers and Bayelsa States that I have not stayed.  I am yet to see one, but the quest for oil in the Chad basin was not significant. In 1992 when I joined Western Geophysical as an explorer, people were not having this interest in the Chad basin as we have it today, so there were virtually no activities then.

The Chad basin oil explorers came later when we had left. Now, I think of going there also because a lot of younger ones I have trained are exploring there and I feel for two reasons to go to Bornu, so that I can complete the states. I have been to 35 states of the country except Bornu State. In respect of where oil activity is going on I would like to be there.

Possibility of oil find in Chad Basin

Every sedimentary basin in this world has a potential of having oil. So, once you have a sedimentary soil don’t ignore it, do oil exploration there, but among the sedimentary basins, the deltas have the highest potential and so if you have so many sedimentary basins, the good wisdom is that you start with the deltas and, in Nigeria, we have the Niger Delta. Nigeria has about seven sedimentary basins, so from the time we move from Chad basin, we have others; for example, the Anambra basin. And as I speak to you, we have many oil connections on these basins, so there are possibilities of finding oil in the Chad basin and there are possibilities of finding oil in the remaining five or six basins.

Founding of Transparent Earth Nigeria

In 2000, I founded a company called Transparent Earth Nigeria Ltd. The company does just basically two things: carry out environmental studies and safety training. And up till this moment, I’m still the chairman of this company and my wife, Dr. (Mrs) Evelyn Eze who also is a university teacher like me is a director. My wife is a lecturer at Madonna University. We have four directors which means that these people have contributed their monies to get this business started. So, the company is not just me and my wife, but I mentioned my wife because she is my wife and secondly, she takes active part in the day-to-day running of the business and since we started, God has blessed us. Our clients are numerous and run through the oil industry, mainly.

Government patronage

Honestly, Transparent Earth has not received any direct patronage from the government. Whatever we got from the public sector may have been from indirect sources. However, as a university lecturer, I have done a work that should serve this country.  I did a research on alternative ways of getting energy, because energy is a critical issue for our country. The research took me 11 years and I came out with a book published by Macmillan. The book is called Alternative Energy Resources (with comments on Nigeria’s position) and the forward of that book was written by the then Minister of Power and now Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Liyel Imoke. He wrote in his capacity as a minister because it was a national issue. And the then Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (now governor) also played a very significant role. He was the chief host. I will never forget it. In fact, I wish it would have been possible for me to physically go and thank him.   But outside this, it was Sen. Imoke who wrote four personal letters to encourage me. And for me, a university teacher, reading such letters from people who were more highly placed than me was an encouragement, which is why I spent 11 years doing this research with my own money.

On alternative energy sources

We can get electricity from any of the eight alternative energy sources mentioned in my book; namely, Biomass, Geothermal Energy, Hydropower, Nuclear Energy, Solar Energy, Tidal Energy, Wave energy and Wind Energy. But I advised that we should start from the simplest, the one called Biomass. Biomass is getting electricity from what we call rubbish, the very type that blocks our drainages on Ikwerre and Aba Roads here in Port Harcourt. If you go to Sau Paulo in Brazil, the fuel sold at the filling stations is not from crude oil, it comes from rubbish.

After this research publication, the onus now lies on the government to actualise this dream. And I’m still challenging them to do something.

In fact, when I wanted to demonstrate the simplicity of biomass as an energy resource, I looked around and there was this young man who was interested in getting things done in Rivers State. I’m talking of Ipalibo Harry, a one-time chairman of the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority.  He has a Ph.D now and he was going to do a research then, so I tried to talk him into at least joining me to demonstrate to the world that what I did here is true. But I lacked the money to do it alone.

I told Ipalibo Harry, I know you are a very resourceful son of this state and I had already designed how this project can be done. And he spent a whopping two million naira to construct it the way I wanted. When we did what we did we were able to get fertilizer to grow corn. I invited people to come and see the fertilizers and the big people who came to see the fertilizer appreciated it so much that they could take it and start playing with it in their hands until it was question time. They were still holding and admiring it when they asked to know what it was made from. And as I said the word shit, they so much threw it away that some of it fell on me.

But I can tell you, I am talking about practical things. What is Biomass? Biomass is energy from plants and animals.

With money now available, I suggested that we start by putting to use the human faeces which we pass out on daily basis. I said to him, let’s put it into use and demonstrate to this country that it is possible. It was then that I realized that Rivers people, and this is not peculiar to Rivers State only, that Nigerian government approves areas for the dumping of shit.

Port Harcourt has four approved shit dumps. Then, why do we waste money building septic tanks if at the end of everything, such waste is evacuated to a dump in the bush. That is why I said in one of the conferences I attended that every Nigerian shits in the bush, including top government officials.

Waste-to-Wealth

The waste coming out in tonnes is being wasted and we are using it to kill ourselves. My appeal to the Rivers State Government is that collectively we can do something with this waste. I am willing to contribute; knowledge does not belong to one man alone. Then coming to the other, as a university teacher, I train students on waste management which is not confined to the one in my book. This is not a classroom, but I will give you the two ends of it.

In waste management, the worst thing to do is what is now being practised everywhere. It is called the Open Dump system. The best thing to do is to reduce waste. Reduction means trying not to generate waste at all. And if you ask me how this is possible in this part of the world, I will simply say that we cannot eliminate it, but we can reduce the waste we generate by an appreciable quantity. When I teach my students in the university, I usually ask if they had ever bought a bucket of custard. If you buy custard, by the time you open it you will discover that the quantity of custard hardly justifies the size of its container. That is not in the spirit of waste reduction. I am just giving an example, the international community has advised that we have fit packaging, so that whatever you use in packaging a product should be almost the same size with the product itself.

The second stage is recycling. When you see people coming to buy scraps, what they are doing is a form of waste management. Converting waste to wealth is recycling those scraps. Waste recycling is practised in every part of the world and it is very, very important.

Even at the home level, you practice waste reuse which is the forth ladder, waste reuse is when you store water in a drum which had been emptied of its original content. This means that an empty drum which ordinarily should have become a waste is now serving another useful purpose.

There is a caveat, however. Eating food is something good, but you shouldn’t eat poisoned food. The public must be educated on the kind of things that can be re-used. If a drum, or any other container for that matter, had been used to import toxic chemicals, the importer should be kind enough to, after removing the chemical content, perforate the drum. On this particular issue, I wish I can go to Government House, not to be a governor, but to have the power; I need it for one week, because I am angry about this issue you raised, but for one reason or the other, these are not being implemented, so you asked a vital question, not every container should be re-used. And, it lies on the experts   I am also one to know which that cannot be used and the proper thing to do is as you remove the container, you perforate and send to the people who should dispose of it.  Hazardous items should not be disposed the way we dispose of other things. There are people licensed to dispose of hazardous materials. Government gives them licences and such things should not go anywhere except to those who are licensed to dispose of such wastes.

On kerosene explosion

Thanks for giving me this opportunity. Some people may be angry with my position, but you said the other causes of kerosene explosion are already known. Moving your stove when it is on can cause kerosene explosion. Don’t move your stove when it is burning.

Another cause of kerosene explosion is mixing kerosene with a more volatile component of hydro carbon which, in many cases, does not happen in the house of the victim.

The mixing of kerosene with a more volatile component happens somewhere at a higher level and, in some cases, when it happens at such level, someone in authority knows what has happened but decides to ignore it for financial reasons.

Assuming your business is to import petrol, kerosene and diesel, you have imported and you want to load them differently into their respective tanks and something happened along the line where the tank used for  petrol was loaded with kerosene, this mix- up at this stage would be a sufficient reason  to condemn the entire product; but being a businessman, you wouldn’t want to waste millions of naira, all you are likely to do is pray over it and push the product to the market, and because these products have different distillation  points, it is sold as kerosene.

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Investing In Nyesom Wike: A Story Of Dedication, Sacrifice And Ultimate Loss

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In 2015, I made a conscious decision to invest my financial resources, my time, and energy into supporting Nyesom Wike’s gubernatorial campaign. I poured my heart and soul into ensuring Nyesom Wike emerged victorious even at the risk of my personal safety.
Again in 2019, I doubled down on my commitment. I invested a significant amount of money to procure campaign outfits for all twenty-three Local Governments Areas of Rivers State. I spared no expense in supplementing Wike’s election efforts in my own local government, and once again putting myself at great risk to safeguard the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
However, despite my unwavering loyalty and sacrifices, I found myself abandoned and forgotten by Wike. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he failed to acknowledge my contributions or fulfill his promises and agreements. Even as a former Deputy Governor, Wike denied me my severance benefit.
My investment in Wike’s governorship was not just financial – it was a commitment of passion, dedication, and belief in a better future for Rivers State. Yet, his leadership style of dishonesty, greed, drunkenness and rash abuse of senior citizens brought me nothing but disappointment, misery and losses.
By the grace of God, today I speak not as a victim, but as a hero. I have accepted my losses, and I have moved on. And as I reflect on my experience, I cannot help but urge Wike to do the same and allow peace and development to reign in Rivers State.
Nyesom Wike, when you speak of investing in Governor Sim Fubara’s election, remember those like me who also invested in you. Remember the sacrifices I made, the risks I took, and the promises and agreements you left unfulfilled.
It is time for you, Wike, to let go of the past and allow Governor Sim Fubara the breathing space he needs to lead Rivers State forward. Allow him to focus on the challenges of good governance and the aspirations of the people. Spare him these unwarranted and ill-conceived political manoeuvrings founded on personal agenda and not for general good of Rivers State and her people.
I may have lost my investment on Wike, but I have not lost hope in the future of Rivers State. And together, we will continue to strive for a brighter tomorrow.
Long Live the Governor to Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara!
Long Live the Good People of Rivers State!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Engr Ikuru is former Deputy Governor of Rivers State.

Tele Ikuru

 

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Is Okocha A Happy Man Being Perpetual Hireling?

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The man Tony Okocha, the devastated tattered ragtag remnant Rivers APC factional, but Caretaker, Chairman, is known for being notoriously a hireling willing to play in the mud just for the pay or settlement. To Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, he did against Chief Nyesom Wike. To Senator Magnus Abe, he did against Rotimi Amaechi. To Chief Nyesom Wike, he did against Magnus Abe. Having maintained such unbefitting character trait, it is not surprising to see him at his demeaned best showing off his tainted skill of grandstanding and loquaciously struggling fruitlessly almost every day to castigate the popular Rivers people’s Governor with very glaring false, bogus and unsubstantiated claims such as:
1. That Governor Fubara is wasting state fund in the name of thanksgiving across 23 Local Government Areas.
2. That Governor Fubara has withheld Local Government funds.
3. That Governor Fubara runs the government without input from the State Executive Council.
4. That nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance.
To the above false claims of Tony Okocha, every reasonable, right thinking and well-meaning Rivers person would effortlessly puncture all as rascality and mendacity taken too far.
Apart from the fact that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had said he is not sponsoring the massive SIMplified Movement Thanksgiving events across the Local Government Areas of the State being organised by elated Rivers people who feel liberated from an era of overbearing and suppressive form of leadership in the State, Tony Okocha should be asked to prove his false claim with indisputable facts and figures. Until then, let Tony Okocha respect himself and learn to keep quiet as an elderly person who is saddled with such a responsible position as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board. A position that places a huge responsibility on him to ensure that the core objectives of the commission are actualised in the State, by not only ensuring that Rivers State gets its fair share of its dues in terms of projects, programmes and activities, but by synergising with the state government on development matters concerning the state vis-a-vis the responsibilities of NDDC to the State. In summary, the SIMplified Movement is all about a happy and joyful people of Rivers State who have decided to stand and stick together to defend and uphold their common heritage and patrimony. It is a voluntary venture, not sponsored by the government.
To his claim that the Governor has withheld Local Government funds, Mr Tony Okocha should also be asked to prove that with facts and figures and explain why the Governor would do such. More so, what is Tony Okocha’s business, assuming, but not conceding, that a PDP Governor withholds money against PDP-led 23 Local Government authorities? Did Local Government workers across the state complain to Okocha, the meddlesome hireling, an acclaimed APC Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers State?
On his ignorant and false claim that the Governor runs the government without input from the state exco, Okocha, the busybody wannabe should explain how he was employed or engaged as the spokesperson of members of the Rivers State Executive Council. He should also tell us his source of information to that effect, if it is not just a proof that he is making himself known as a perpetually irredeemable hireling notoriously good for playing the spoiler’s role.
On Mr Okocha’s assertion, probably, borne out of lack of more convincing lies, that nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance, is sure a proof that the man is only acting a bad and an unsellable script to justify the reward of expected gratifying filthy lucre, which is the compelling reason for condescending so low and evilly so. How else is governance measured, if not by executing meaningful and impactful projects, giving hope, inspiring and putting smiles on the faces of the people with joy of fulfilment in their hearts, both civil servants and everyone living and doing business in the State? Is Okocha blind to see and deaf to hear of the good works of the Governor Fubara led Rivers State Government? Civil servants are happy, teachers are highly elated. Several projects are ongoing. Investors are trooping in. The health sector, education, agriculture, sports have been highly boosted under Governor Fubara-led administration. To Okocha, there’s no governance in the State because patronage of free money is not getting to him from the Governor but from other sources that are likely against the Governor.
Let Tony Okocha weep more. Rivers State is breathing fresh air already and is liberated.
Let Tony Okocha tell us how he has, so far, as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), clearly effected development in the State through the NDDC, and why he lied that there was Cholera outbreak with deaths recorded in Soku in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area with the intent of raking in about ¦ N5billion for non-existent mitigation programmes?
Odike is Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Social/New Media .
Bernard C. Idike
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Day Asari-Toru Declared Massive Support For Fubara

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, was an American statesman and politician who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. He was a member of the Democratic Party and is the only United States President to have served more than two terms.
In one of his popular quotes, he said, “The creed of our democracy is that liberty is acquired and kept by men and women who are strong and self-reliant, and possessed of such wisdom as God gives mankind – men and women who are just, and understanding, and generous to others — men and women who are capable of disciplining themselves. For they are the rulers and they must rule themselves.”
This explains the recent gathering of creme la creme of Asari-Toru political gladiators converged at the inauguration of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter to reiterate their unflinching support for the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara whose mantra revolves around liberation.
The event which took place at the Autograph in Port Harcourt on the 1st of March, 2024, to galvanise strong support for Governor Fubara attracted over 500 members of the Simplified Movement from the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The gathering of supporters of Governor Fubara’s government, under the umbrella of the Simplified Movement, the ASALGA chapter led by an astute politician, former member of the Federal House of Representatives and two- time member of the Rivers State Executive Council as Commissioner, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall comprised both the old and young generation political helmsmen drawn from all the 13 Wards of the local government area.
The nerve-““““““wracking gathering had the likes of the 1999 democratic system pioneer Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council and former two-time Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Hon. Opakirite Mackson Jackreece; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adokiye Young-Harry; former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Daisy West and former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Chief Hon. Iboroma Norman Wokoma.
Others were the incumbent Vice Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council, Hon. (Mrs.) Tekena Wokoma; former Commissioner of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Hon. Dr. Hope Barango; the South-West Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sule Amachree and the Secretary of the Local Government chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Cladious Princewill; former Chief of Staff of Council, Hon. Ajumogobia West and former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ASALGA, Hon. Onari Awo Tariah.
Also present at the event were past caretaker committee chairmen of the Local Government Council including, Hon. Waite Harry, Hon. Dawari Hamilton Ibinabo, Hon. Wright Warmate and former Deputy Mayor of the Port Harcourt City Council, Hon. Adokiye Horsfall amongst others. My humble self belongs to the movement. The list is inexhaustible.
Speaking at the inauguration, the member representing Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and leader of the Asari-Toru political family, Hon. Boma Goodhead assured the people of the commitment of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to extend visible dividends of democracy to the people of ASALGA.
The federal lawmaker who spoke through her representative, Dr. Sule Amachree, said Governor Fubara means well for Rivers people, particularly the people of ASALGA and urged them to remain calm, peaceful and resolute in their support to the administration of the State Governor.
“His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is the Governor ordained by God to liberate Rivers people from the snares of poverty and oppression. He is God-sent to bring visible and even development to Rivers State and Asari-Toru people are on the top of that agenda of development,” she said.
Hon. Goodhead reiterated her confidence in the capacity of the leader of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall to mobilise massive support and a huge source of encouragement for the Government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara to succeed.
“I urge you to continue to stand firm with our Governor. Be rest assured that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is a man of peace, focused and determined to deliver on the mandate given to him by the people of Rivers State. He will not fail you,” she said.
In his speech, the leader of the ASALGA chapter of the Simplified Movement, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall described the movement as a child of necessity born out of the hunger of Rivers people for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation.
“As witnessed across the length and breadth of Rivers State, the Simplified Movement is a child of necessity, born out of the hunger for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation, with one core objective to promote and defend the interests of Rivers State and her people. It is on this account, we stand as dependable allies giving strong support to the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in his pursuit of peace and commitment to the genuine development of Rivers State.
“It is our position that with the elections come and gone, it is practically a time to face governance and to ensure deliverables of dividends to the people of Rivers State in the atmosphere of peace, security and stability,” he said.
Chief Samuel Horsfall explained that Rivers people saw the leadership qualities needed to achieve the sole objective to genuinely defend and promote the interest of the State in Governor Fubara, hence the spontaneous massive support expressed in the birth of the Simplified Movement.
He recounted avalanche of achievements made by Governor Fubara within six months in office. “We appreciate the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his resilience and determination to make a difference. It is on record and attestable by all, the numerous projects being executed by his administration.
“Such as the ongoing construction of the gigantic Port Harcourt Ring Road project, the 20,000 housing units for low income earners, the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity road, the near completion of the 10km Old Port Harcourt-Bori road, the Emohua-Kalabari road, the 6.5km Woji-Alesa-Refinery link road and the inclusion of the remaining part of the Trans-Kalabari road project in the 2024 budget. “Moreover, the promotion of the State civil servants, first time in history payment of N100,000.00 Christmas bonus to civil servants across board, approval of promotions and implementation of N30,000.00 minimum wage for local government workers and the N4 billion single digit interest loans facility for Small and Medium Scale business operators in Rivers State. All these achievements within six months in office are eloquent testimonies of Governor Fubara to deliberately improve the welfare of Rivers people.
“We are convinced that such a proven great mind and well experienced, tested and trusted administrator/technocrat, Governor Fubara has demonstrated the capacity to deliver effectively the needed democratic dividends to Rivers people. It is on this convention we are gathered here for the umpteenth time to reaffirm our unalloyed support and commitment to his administration,” Chief Samuel Horsfall declared.
He disclosed that the gathering was to put in place citizens mobilisation strategy to forge a collaborative bond with the Governor to foster partnership for the development of ASALGA and the State. He, therefore, advised those he called detractors of Governor Fubara’s administration to desist forthwith and allow the Governor to remain focused in his quest to deliver on his mandate.
“All detractors should desist from further attacks on the Governor and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and allow the Governor to focus on the delivery of the good policies and programmes to Rivers people. We unequivocally condemn attempts by disgruntled Abuja politicians to employ intimidation antics against the former Speaker of the 10th State Assembly and current Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and others who are standing on the path of justice and good conscience for the collective good of Rivers State.
“We equally urge the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to be discreet in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities in the State and not to allow themselves to be used by selfish individuals who do not mean well to fuel political crisis in Rivers State.
Chief Samuel Horsfall also commended the federal lawmaker, Hon. Boma Goodhead for her doggedness and resilience in supporting Governor Fubara since the wake of the political crisis in the State.
Several other personalities spoke to express their support to the State Governor and urged the people to ASALGA to maintain their peaceful disposition and remain steadfast in the Simplified Movement to give the state government maximum support to continue to render good governance to Rivers people.
Highlights of the event were the inauguration of the elders and stakeholders of the Simplified Movement for the 13 Wards as well as the executive committee of the movement in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.

Amieyeofori Ibim

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