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Okrika Chiefs Task Political Leaders On Accountability

Published

14 years ago

July 25, 2012

The Chairman of

Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Nemi Wisdom Adoki, has said that the council would henceforth ensure that all elected and appointed political office holders of Okrika ethnic nationality are now to account for their stewardship to the people.

Chief Adoki stated this while addressing a reception, shortly after the thanksgiving service by ODCC, at the St. Peters Anglican Church, in Okrika.

He explained that the decision was informed by the unsavoury political situation in the Okrika Local Government council.

“The Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs would ensure that elected and appointed political office holders give account of their stewardship to the entire Okrika people, this will help to check the non-challant attitude of our politicians,” Chief Adoki said.

The ODCC boss revealed that the present executive would activate the Wakirike National Congress (WNC) and also organise Okrika Week where notable sons and daughters of Okrika kingdom would be honoured.

Chief Adoki thanked God for the successful thanksgiving service for a new executive for the chiefs council, saying, the election ended peacefully.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the occasion, and commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission, Chief Jonah Tamuno advised the newly elected executive to identify the problems in the council and set-up a formidable committee to resolve all the differences.

“I am not in doubt that the elected executive of ODCC has all the potentials to pilot the affairs of the Chiefs Council and unite all the aggrieved parties” Chief Tamuno said.

In his speech, Acting Chairman of the Okrika Council vowed to ensure unity and peace in the LGA under his watch.

The guest preacher, Revd Canon Precious Amadi had in his sermon during the service urged leaders to have the fear of God and serve humanity with dedication and good conscience.

Tonye Orabere

Rivers

VC Charges Students On Exam Malpractice, Other Vices … As IAUE Matriculates 8, 735

Published

8 hours ago

March 3, 2026

The Tide

The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charged matriculating students to live a life devoid of examination malpractices and other social Vices in order to take their studies seriously.

The VC, who gave the charge during the 17th matriculation ceremony on Saturday, encouraged the matriculant to form study groups, learn together, and explain critical topics to one another for better understanding.

”One way to study seriously is to learn together, form study groups, and explain things to each other, explain the subject matter to each other.

“I know that from experience, some students learn faster from their fellow students”, he stated.

The Vice Chancellor further adviced the matriculating students to make maximum use of the new library in the school to develop their skills and knowledge on different areas of research.

He noted that the total applications for admission received for regular students were 16, 237, while the total number of registered regular students were 8,248.

“For part time students, he said, total applications received were 1, 733 and total number of candidates admitted were 1,321, and 800 were cleared, while a total number of registered Part time student’s (matriculated) were 383.

“Total applications received from the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) was 220, while number of registered students from the IDL are 104”, he explained.

He also urged parents and guardians to support their children and wards by paying their school charges promptly, and endeavour to always monitor the academic performance of their children and wards.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

Rivers

Experts Urge Youth To Harness Talents For Global Success

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The convener of the Fasthire CareerFest 2026, Richard Okiasi, has called on Nigerian youths to transcend local limitations and harness skills, visibility and innovation to thrive globally.

Okiasi made the call on Saturday during a career development and job creation event in Port Harcourt.

The event, held at the Celebr8 Event Center, Olu Obasanjo Road, attracted 944 participants, including 131 Corps members, five career coaches, aspiring entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts and career builders under the theme, “Borderless – Empowering Talents to Compete, Create, and Collaborate Globally.”

The visionary lead of Fasthire said in a world where borders are increasingly irrelevant for ambitious professionals, it is important for young talents to transcend local limitations and harness skills necessary to compete and thrive globally.

“If you want to provide value globally, start locally, don’t be idle while dreaming of Apple,” he advised.

Okiasi said the Fasthire CareerFest 2026 was organised with a view to equiping the youth with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries.

“Our goal is to equip the next generation with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries,” he said.

He emphasized how the festival bridged the gap between Nigerian potential and international opportunities.

The event featured a stellar lineup of resource persons, each bringing decades of expertise to inspire and educate.

Keynote speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Africa Technologies, Ajah Excel, delivered a compelling presentation on “Building Careers and Businesses Without Borders.”

Excel, who is also the convener of SMfest, and founder of the World Scholarship Forum, stressed the importance of proactive positioning.

“You must be willing to step out and meet opportunities,” he told the participants at the event.

He stated that ideas travel freely without visas, urging participants to let their names precede their passports through online visibility.

Excel said the youth could relocate financially without physical relocation by building bridges early and positioning as a global entity from the start.

The Managing Director of Xavina Consulting Limited, Catherine Kadiri, who delivered a lecture on “Building the Mindset to Create, Compete, and Collaborate on the Global Stage”, advocated intentional actions and curiosity as the foundation of creativity.

“You can never be fully ready, start before you are ready,” she advised.

Kadiri urged attendees to build connections with cultural intelligence, humility, and align applications with genuine skills and embrace slow but intentional growth.

The recruitment section had Airtel Nigeria, Xavina Consult, Elasot, Toppearl, Vodina West, and Aidela Africa in attendance.

The festival’s interactive depth shone through two panel sessions, fostering dialogue on practical strategies for borderless success.

The first panel session touched on “Positioning for Global Opportunities”, featuring the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aidela Africa, Atat Charles, as lead discussant, and Group Managing Director/CEO of Arrowconn Group, High Chief Emeka Ezekwe, as co-discussant.

While Charles warned of the power of social media and advised meticulous profile management, Ezekwe defined strategic positioning as “deliberate engineering of relevance,” cautioning that opportunities often appear disguised.

“What you post can build you up or pull you down,” Charles warned.

“Your certificate is just paper, skills and know-how differentiate you,” Ezekwe said.

The second panel session, which centered on “Work Smarter, Not Harder – Using AI Tools to Thrive in a Borderless Workplace”, explored AI’s role in enhancing productivity and global competitiveness.

Founder and Lead Consultant at Marach Consul Limited, Amarachi Stanley-Duru, who led the panel discussion, encouraged maximizing current opportunities through foundational skills.

“Learn and leverage AI to remain relevant,” she urged.

The Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Money University (KMU), Mr. Emeka Nobis, who delivered a paper on “From Skill to Income: Turning What You Know into Value”, advised identifying God-given gifts and translating them into buyable services.

“Start with what you have, where you are, and your unique story,” he advised.

Rivers

LANGUAGE BARRIER :STAKEHOLDERS URGES NSC TO FUND MULTILINGUAL STAFF AT BORDER STATIONS

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) management to fund multilingual personnel to tackle language barriers at border posts, particularly among traders in the ECOWAS corridor and other frontiers.

Stakeholders, during a meeting held on Wednesday in Badagry, Lagos, also hailed the economic port regulator as Africa’s top Shippers’ Council, citing its sustainable facilities across the region.

Speaking at the event, Alhaji Salami Nasiru Alasoadua, Special Adviser to NACCIMA’s National President and a stalwart of the West Africa Road Transport Union (WARTU), noted that language remains a major barrier for cross-border traders.

He added that the NSC has the capacity to address this if it funds personnel fluent in multiple languages.

Alasoadua stressed the need for the council to hire staff who can speak Yoruba, Hausa, French, and Fulani effectively to resolve these challenges.

Apparently determined to assist in tackling this deficiency, the trader explained that cross-border traders are eager to engage NSC officials at border posts, but many businessmen and women cannot speak English fluently, creating a significant obstacle to getting things done.

Cross section of Stakeholders and staff of NSC at the meeting held in Badagry Lagos on Wednesday

Alasoadua, who also serves as Vice President of the West Africa Cross Traders and Managing Director of Alsana Global Ventures, commended the council for sustaining its officers at Nigeria’s border posts., while adding that funding multilingual personnel would boost trade across international frontiers.

He lamented that most traders lack awareness of Border Information Centre (BIC) requirements.

According to him, “For the council to maintain its relevance in the borderless alliance, I want to thank the Nigerian Shippers’ Councilit’s number one across Africa, from East to North and West Africa.

“None of the other Shippers’ Councils have working border officers except Nigeria’s; most have been abandoned.”But the NSC needs to source funds.

“If you have a BIC at Seme border post and the manager cannot speak French, English, Egun, Fulani, or Yoruba, it’s a problem.”We need to resolve the challenges facing SMEs, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has a critical role to play,” he added.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos