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THE STATES

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13 years ago

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Benue

Many victims of last year’s flood disaster in Benue State have returned to the flood-affected areas, in spite of the State Government’s warning for people to stay away from the areas.

The victims, who are yet to benefit from the N500 million approved by the Federal Government for the flood victims, said they had no alternative than to return to the flood-affected areas.

One of the victims, Mr Dennis Igbana, said that the victims had no other option than to return to the areas affected by floods.

“Our situation is that of the abandoned child, we are treated as if we do not belong to this state or country, we are being abandoned as if we choose to be affected by flood. We cannot question God why we are citizens of Benue State, other states in the country such as Edo State, had released additional funds and shared to the victims, but government officials have decided to take away even the little, Mr President had given us,” he lamented.

Another victim, Mr Tyoyame Torkula, said that he had already completed planting his yam along the banks of the River Benue.

 

FCT

Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), last Sunday urged opposition political parties involved in merger talks to evolve a new political ideology that would satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

The General-Secretary of AEC, Mr Emma Ezeazu,  made the call at a news conference in Abuja.

He said that Nigerians expected the emerging All Progressives Congress (APC) to use its manifesto to address the challenges facing the country such as distribution of national resources, poverty and unemployment.

“ It is important that the APC demonstrates convincingly to Nigerians that it is not just interested in grabbing power but in effecting real transformation in the quality of lives of ordinary Nigerians. “The APC must, therefore, show that it is not only offering superior value but that its idea of progressive politics unambiguously cuts an image distinct from the current dysfunction in Nigeria’s political arena,’’ he said.

Ezeazu also stressed the need for the APC to draft a constitution that would be issue-based with ideological orientation, and also strive to accommodate the concerns of vulnerable people, including women, youths and persons living with disabilities.

 

Gombe

The Parish Priest of St. James Catholic Church in Gombe State, Rev. Fr John Keane, has enjoined women to show love and care to their families and those outside their homes.

Speaking on Sunday, Keane also urged women to support their husbands to ensure a good upbringing of their children.

According to the cleric, they should also play their roles as mothers, as defined by the church and their traditions, so that society would develop.

Also speaking, President of the church’s Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Mrs Eunice George, said the day was a unique one in the lives of women in the Christian faith.

George said mothers played significant roles in the church, and that was why the day was set aside to celebrate them as mothers of the society.

 

Kano

The Kano State Government plans to immunize about 6 million children against polio in the current round of the exercise.

The Public Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Health, Alhaji Isma’il Gwammaja, disclosed this last Sunday in Kano.

He stressed that the exercise had so far been successful, as it did not record any form of resistance in any part of the state.

Gwammaja also said that a state monitoring team, headed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, had visited Ungogo and Minjibir Local Government Areas to monitor the exercise.

He conveyed the team’s satisfaction with the conduct of the immunisation in the two local government areas that were toured since the onset of the exercise on Saturday.

The Information Officer of Fagge Local Government Council, Malam Salisu Kassim, also commended the manner in which the exercise was being handled  in the area.

 

Kebbi

The Kebbi Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (KARDA), has cautioned farmers on the application of insecticides and chemicals, to prevent environmental degradation and human health hazards.

The Programme Manager in the agency, Alhaji Yahaya Haruna, gave the caution while speaking in Kalgo, Kebbi, recently.

Haruna observed that farmers engaged in the application of insecticides and chemicals without consulting extension workers from the agency.

He observed that some farmers had failed to realise the disparity between herbicides and insecticides to apply on the farmland, stressing that the extension workers would properly guide the farmers.

He, therefore, urged farmers to seek support and guidance from the agency, especially as collaborative efforts were being made with seed firms for the supply of sundry seeds, to ensure maximum yield.

 

Kogi

The National President, Old Boys Association, Our Lady of Apostles (OLS), Anyingba, Fidel Ogwuche, has commended a House of Representatives’ member, Tom Zakari, for donating educational materials to the school.

Egwuche made the commendation while receiving the items on behalf of the school last Sunday in Anyigba, Kogi State.

The items include, 20 computer sets, desks and chairs, a photocopy machine and two printers. Other items are two sets of split air conditioners, an internet dish, a 5 KV gasoline generator, a scanning machine, one spiral binding system, two standing fans and solar energy facilities.

He said with the digitisation of educational system in the country, the aid would immensely assist the students in updating their knowledge through research and e-learning.

 

Lagos

The Information Officer, South-West Zone of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, on Sunday advised motorists to be more cautious while driving.

Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, he stressed that every driver on the highway had a responsibility to protect the road, the environment and his or her own life.

“There are traffic laws to be obeyed on the roads but it will interest you to know that many people still violate these laws to their own detriment,’’ he said.

Farinloye underscored the need for road users to obey all the traffic laws, as part of efforts to reduce accidents on the roads.

“We still have cases of people driving at night without headlight and people driving without the driver’s licence, such acts are not right,’’ he said.

He also urged all motorists and other road users to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy and in good condition, particularly as the rainy season was fast approaching.

 

Niger

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Global Foundation, says it has expended N150 million in collaboration with the Niger Government to procure NECO exams scratch cards for extra-mural students.

The Secretary-General of the foundation, Alhaji Ibrahim Hussaini said in Minna that the amount was expended in the last five years.

He said the state government procured the scratch cards while the foundation distributed them to its committed extra-mural students attending lectures and tutorials in 53 lesson centres spread across the state.

According to the secretary-general, the programme would also enable the state meet its manpower requirement for growth and development.

He said the foundation started operating its lesson centres in 1997 through donations and the goodwill of wealthy individuals in the state, and disclosed that the foundation was also collaborating with individuals at the lesson centres which are named after them.

 

Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command says no student was killed by its men during a protest by students of Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu on April 10.

The Command’s spokesperson, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said in Abeokuta last Friday that the protest took place and ended with no life lost.

Leaders of the institution’s students union had on Friday alleged at the state’s House of Assembly that police killed five of their colleagues during the protest.

Adejobi however said “the Command was taken aback to hear such a disgusting rumour.

“We hereby reiterate that no single student was killed by the police during the protest.

“The allegations by the students at the House of Assembly were just to appeal to sentiment and for other reasons known to them.’’

 

Plateau

The Plateau State Government has resolved to cushion the effects of the ongoing biometric capturing of workers by shelving the issue of variation in the interim and making blanket payment.

The state’s Head of Service, Mr Ezekiel Dalyop said in Jos last Friday that the issue of variation would still be tackled while officials found to have played a role in the delays would be penalised.

He said that the government had also given 15th of every month as deadline to all government MDAs to submit their variations and vouchers to the ICT unit of the supervising ministry, for timely payment of salaries.

The Head of Service said that more than 11,000 workers had been cleared and paid their salaries after undergoing the recent biometric exercise and that an additional 2,000 workers cleared by the Appeal Panel, would soon be paid.

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Nation

Group Advocates Indigenous Language Sustainability, Calls for Policy Action

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2 days ago

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January 23, 2026

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A pan-Nigeria organisation committed to the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages, Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters (ILCP), has called for the deliberate development and compulsory teaching of indigenous languages in both primary and secondary schools across the country.

The group made the call during its maiden Congress held in Bori, Rivers State, which was convened to examine challenges hindering the official adoption and effective teaching of Ogoni languages in schools.

Speaking at the Congress, the Executive Director of the organisation, HRC Mene Magnus Edooh, Amb.P, emphasised the critical role of indigenous languages in preserving a people’s culture, values and history. He warned against the gradual extinction of native languages, noting that language loss equates to identity loss.

“Years ago, Latin was a language of global relevance, but today it is largely extinct. We do not want Ogoni languages to suffer a similar fate. As a people, we cannot afford to lose our identity through the death of our languages,” Edooh said.

He explained that the Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters was established to collaborate with language stakeholders to ensure that children and younger generations remain connected to their mother tongues. The organisation also appealed to governments at all levels, as well as relevant institutions and individuals, to take strategic actions aimed at promoting and sustaining Nigeria’s indigenous languages.

Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Media and Information, Prince David N. Gbarato, questioned the rationale behind government reluctance to accord indigenous languages their rightful place in national development policies.

According to him, “People with well-developed languages are people with well-developed indigenous systems and affairs,” stressing that language development is fundamental to cultural and societal advancement.

The Congress further served as a platform for the ratification of key officers of the organisation and featured the participation of representatives from various indigenous language groups and other language stakeholders, all of whom echoed the call for renewed commitment towards safeguarding Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.

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Diri Approves N200m Monthly Grant for Bayelsa Farmers, Targets Increased Local Rice Production

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6 days ago

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January 19, 2026

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Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has approved a monthly support scheme of ?200 million for farmers in the state as part of efforts to boost food security and expand agricultural production.

The governor announced the approval on Tuesday at the flag-off ceremony of the 2026 dry season farming programme held at the state-owned rice farm in Otuasega community, Ogbia Local Government Area.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the volume of rice harvested during the last farming season, Governor Diri directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources to ensure a significant increase in the production of homegrown rice in Bayelsa State by the end of 2026.

He stressed that despite the government’s provision of necessary support to the ministry and farmers, it was unacceptable that the state still had to procure rice from outside during the last Yuletide period.

The governor charged the Ministry of Agriculture to take food security seriously, noting that Bayelsa has a comparative advantage in several crop areas, with fertile soil that does not require fertiliser to produce organic crops.

While commending the Commissioner for Agriculture and other stakeholders for organising the event, Governor Diri urged the ministry to ensure that such initiatives go beyond yearly ceremonies and translate into tangible benefits for the people.

According to him, agriculture remains a key pillar of the state’s economic diversification drive, which his administration has prioritised through heavy investments. He also called on civil servants and residents to embrace agriculture as a way of life.

“Let it not be that we come here for a yearly ritual. This is something that affects us as a people and so we must all take it seriously. Food security will continue to be a top priority of my administration,” he said.

He added that agriculture strengthens the economy and highlighted the importance of transportation infrastructure in moving farm produce from rural communities to the state capital.

“We are investing in agriculture and connecting communities. The roads and bridges support agriculture. We have developed partnerships and collaborations and will continue to partner with other agencies to ensure Bayelsa attains the expected food security,” the governor stated.

Governor Diri further directed that by the end of 2026, the state should record a minimum production of 300,000 kilogrammes of rice, stressing that government would patronise local farmers rather than sourcing rice from outside the state.

On security concerns, he reiterated that the state’s anti-grazing law remains in force, warning herdsmen against destroying farmlands and urging farmers to report such incidents to security agencies instead of resorting to social media.

He also cautioned traditional rulers against allocating land in forest areas to herdsmen, warning that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned.

“For our farmers, we will always support you. Honourable Commissioner, identify the genuine farmers in the state. What we did for MSMEs will also be done for farmers. Henceforth, ?200 million will be set aside monthly to support farmers in Bayelsa State,” he added.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, described the event as a reaffirmation of the state government’s unwavering commitment to food security.

He commended Governor Diri for his substantial investment in the agricultural sector, noting that it has been the driving force behind the progress recorded so far.

Representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bayelsa State chapter, Nigerian Women in Agriculture Business, the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation and the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others, also lauded the governor’s sustained support for farmers, which they said has significantly improved the agricultural sector in the state.

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Fanfare, Pageantry As Ohiauga Community Honours 31 Eminent Personalities with Maiden Leadership Awards

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6 days ago

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January 19, 2026

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Ohiauga Community in Igburu Clan, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday, December 27, 2025, witnessed an unprecedented spectacle of celebrations, fanfare and cultural splendour as it honoured 31 distinguished personalities for their outstanding leadership qualities, selfless service and immense contributions to the growth and development of the community.

The historic event, which took place at the Ohiauga Community Town Hall, marked the maiden edition of the Ohiauga Leadership Awards and saw 27 illustrious sons and daughters of the community, alongside four non-indigenes, decorated with various honours in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the socio-economic, political and infrastructural advancement of the area.

From the early hours of the day, the once serene and seemingly sleepy community was transformed into a beehive of activities. The atmosphere was electrified with excitement as the sound of music echoed from different corners of the community. Everywhere was colourful, lively and festive, as men, women, youths and children, young and old, trooped out in large numbers, beautifully adorned in elegant traditional and modern attires.

The favourable weather further added glamour and grace to the occasion, enhancing the beauty and splendour of the event, as the people, stakeholders and visitors savoured every moment of the celebration.

Adding royal splendour to the colourful ceremony was the presence of the Eze of Igburu Clan, Eze Igburu IV of Igburu Land, His Majesty Eze Kenneth Nwabochi, who arrived at the venue in full royal regalia, accompanied by his retinue of chiefs, elders and other palace officials. His presence was a clear testament to the significance of the occasion and underscored the unity and collective resolve of the people to celebrate excellence and service.

One after the other, the award recipients stepped forward amid thunderous applause, cheers and admiration from the audience. These were men and women whose years of dedication, sacrifice and contributions have helped place Ohiauga Community on the map in terms of political relevance, socio-economic growth and self-help-driven development.

Indeed, Ohiauga Community today boasts of notable achievements credited largely to community-based initiatives, including a relatively good road network, stable and uninterrupted electricity supply powered through solar infrastructure, and other basic amenities that have improved the quality of life of its people. The honoured individuals, it was observed, have played significant roles in achieving these milestones, leaving their unmistakable footprints on the community’s development journey.

By honouring them, the community made it clear that the awards were not meant to signal retirement from service, but rather to encourage the recipients to intensify their efforts and continue to give back to their fatherland. Community leaders noted that although progress has been recorded, Ohiauga still faces serious developmental challenges that require sustained commitment and collective action.

Prominent among these challenges is the absence of a functional healthcare facility. The only cottage hospital project in the community, allegedly initiated by Total Energies Limited several years ago, was said to have been abandoned, leaving residents without adequate medical care. The community strongly appealed to the Rivers State Government to intervene and revive the project in the interest of the people.

The education sector was also not spared. The Ohiauga Community Primary School, according to the community, is allegedly in good shape, with a conducive learning environment, but lacks enough classroom teachers, as there is only one government-employed classroom teacher. To fill the void, the community reportedly employed five additional teachers from its meagre resources and currently bears the responsibility of paying their salaries.

These realities, stakeholders explained, provided further justification for the decision to celebrate and honour individuals who have consistently demonstrated commitment to the welfare and development of the community.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Ohiauga Maiden Leadership Awards, Pastor (Dr) David Chizor Nwaoburu, described the event as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering peace, unity and development, while recognising and rewarding excellence and service.

According to him, the award ceremony was designed to honour eminent personalities who have distinguished themselves in public and private life, and who have continued to make meaningful contributions to the growth of Ohiauga Community.

Dr Nwaoburu, who was himself among the award recipients, said the recognition was intended to motivate the honourees to do more for the community and not to rest on their achievements. He urged them to continue to serve the interests of the people wherever they find themselves and to remain ambassadors of peace and development.

He further reiterated the need for government intervention in the abandoned cottage hospital project and the posting of teachers to the primary school by the state government, stressing that community development in Ohiauga has largely been driven by self-help efforts.

Among those honoured at the event were Pastor (Dr) David Chizor Nwaoburu; former Bursar of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr Davis Ojima; the Registrar of the institution, Dr Chinonye A. Ajie; Dr Obi Chukwuma Ebenezer Jular; Elder Kemmer Mark Godwin; Dr Nwokoji Chukwuemeka; Mr Nduka Louis Odiegba; Dr (Chief) (Mrs) Ojima; Comrade Chimezie Igwela; Engr Gideon Eke; Chief (Prof) H. A. Ajie; Hon. Sule Igwela; and Dr Obi Nwaoburu.

Others included Prof. (Mrs) Jennifer Igwela; Dr Charity Ajie; Eric David Orukwo; the Paramount Ruler of Ohiauga Community, HRH Dr Amb. Bright Abali; Mr Chukwudi Lloyd Reuben; Comrade Wisdom Adieme; and the member representing ONELGA Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Nwabochi.

Also recognised were Comrade Kelvin London Oji; Pastor Smart Brass Maduagu; Chief (Hon.) K. O. Igwela; Harmony Igwela; Comrade Onyemaobi Igwela; and Late Elder Nwaba Maduagu, who received a posthumous award in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the community.

The four non-indigenes honoured for their dedicated services and goodwill towards the community were Hon. Marculey Ogolo; Hon. ThankGod Chibor; Comrade Kingsley Ogu; and Pastor G. Oreke, who was specially recognised as the only dedicated government classroom teacher at Ohiauga Community Primary School.

Reacting to the honour, the Registrar of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr Chinonye A. Ajie, described the award as a step in the right direction and a thoughtful gesture that encourages service and excellence. He called for harmonious relationships among all segments of the community and pledged his continued support towards education, job creation and collective development.

Former Bursar of the university, Dr Davis Ojima, also expressed gratitude to the community for recognising his contributions, assuring that he would remain committed to promoting peace, unity and sustainable development initiatives in Ohiauga.

Business mogul, Mr Nduka Louis Odiegba, said being honoured by one’s own community carries special significance, describing the recognition as the most cherished among the many awards he has received. He pledged to intensify his contributions to the welfare and development of the people, noting that “charity must begin at home.”

In his royal remarks, the Eze of Igburu Clan, His Majesty Eze Kenneth Nwabochi, emphasised the importance of peace, unity and the preservation of cultural values, describing the maiden Ohiauga Leadership Awards as a timely initiative aimed at strengthening communal bonds and fostering collective progress.

Giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the awardees, Mr Chukwudi Lloyd Reuben, thanked the community for finding them worthy of recognition, and commended the leadership and merit award committee for the excellent packaging of the programme. He urged the awardees to continue with their good work to the community, as the merit awards were a clarion call for more community development involvement and a wake up call for others to emulate the leadership qualities exhibited by the awardees.

Overall, the maiden Ohiauga Leadership Awards ceremony lived up to its billing, serving not only as a platform to celebrate excellence and service but also as a rallying point for renewed commitment to the development of the community, amid resounding jubilation, merriment and cultural pride.

 

By: Donatus Ebi

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