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THE STATES

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Benue
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State said
that 33 aspirants had indicated interest to contest the governorship election on the platform of the party in 2015.
The Benue State Chairman of PDP, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, told newsmen in Makurdi that the party’s primaries must be free and fair.
Agbo said that all members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party had resolved to ensure that all candidates were given equal opportunities.
“33 aspirants have so far indicated their interest to contest the party’s governorship ticket in the forthcoming election.
Ekiti

No fewer than 21 political parties will participate in the
Ekiti State governorship election coming up on June 21.
The Ekiti State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) announced this in a statement in Ado-Ekiti recently.
Speaking to newsmen on the list, the spokesman of the Commission in the state Taiwo Gbadegesin said the list might  not be  final as some more might  still show interest while some that had already indicated interest might  choose to opt out.
He said INEC would not give special preference to any of the political parties, saying a level playing ground would be accorded all of them in every of its activities and actions.

FCT

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administra
tion and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the public against indiscriminate consumption of energy drink for  health reasons.
The Director, Pharmacovigilance and Post Market Surveillance Directorate of the agency, Mrs Adeline Osakwe, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
According to her, energy drinks are supplements that contained high caffeine and carbohydrate which are made to make a person hyper active.
“The effect of the caffeine in energy drink makes people to get high, to be stimulated and of course, it makes the person’s heart to beat faster”, he said.
“It can have adverse effects, especially when the person over uses them and it accumulates in the system. The caffeine in it can lead to increase in blood pressure.

Jigawa

The National Agency for Food And Drug Administra
tion and Control (NAFDAC) has threatened to close down any packaged water factory that failed to comply with water quality standard.
The state Director of the agency in Jigawa State, Mr Olaniran Olakunle, gave the warning at a meeting with members of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in Dutse.
Olakunle said that NAFDAC would not spare any manufacturer of packaged water who produced unclean water.
”The penalty for not complying is closure of the factory and withdrawal of NAFDAC licence,” he said.
He explained that the agency had introduced Annual Monitoring of Water Quality Standard and Compliance for all water manufacturing facilities across the country.

Kaduna
No fewer than 50 journalists with different eye diseases
have benefited from free eye screening in Kaduna State.
The free eye screening was organised by the Kaduna state chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) recently.
The screening was to assist journalists overcome challenges associated with sight to enable them discharge their duties more effectively.
Mrs Juliana Oyoyo, the state chairperson of NAWOJ, said the free screening was to help journalists who used computers daily in the course of their work to correct whatever challenges they might have with their eyes.

Kebbi

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office
in Kebbi State says it has executed 152 projects in 21 local government areas in the state.
The Consultant of the projects, Dr Balarabe Isah, made this known to newsmen in Aleiro Local Government Area when he inspected the projects.
He said that 122 projects were newly constructed while 30 were rehabilitated.
“The projects comprised solar-powered boreholes for water supply to rural communities and construction of staff quarters for staff at the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centres.”
Isah said that the projects were 100 per cent completed, especially, water supply projects, adding that 90 per cent completion was recorded in the provision of staff quarters that had yet to be furnished.

Kwara

The Landmark University, Omu-Aran in Kwara State
is to partner with the British Council for educational development, Mrs Ngozi Osueke, the institution’s Corporate Affairs Officer, has said.
Osueke told newsmen in Omu-Aran that discussions on modalities and platform for the partnership was almost concluded.
According to her, the partnership became necessary for the institution to expand the scope of its academics and more importantly its agrarian revolution initiative.
“The university, in order to expand its major focus on its agrarian revolution, is currently working out the modalities for an all encompassing partnership with the British Council.

Lagos

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS)
said it sealed 15 companies in the last two weeks for failing to remit N34.7 million personal income taxes of their workers.
The Head, Distrain Unit, of LIRS, Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, said this last Sunday in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
She said that the tax liabilities were for period ranging from one year to three years.
Coker-Afolayan reiterated that tax payment was a civic responsibility of citizens whose proceeds were being used by government to provide the infrastructure.
“Tax is a major source of government revenue. It enables government to provide infrastructure and improve citizens’ standard of living,” she said.

Ondo
The police have arraigned a 52-year-old man, Osagbeue
Chuks, in an Akure Magistrates’ Court for impersonation, unlawful possession and theft of books from Ondo State High Court library.
The prosecutor, Insp. Martins Olowofeso, alleged that the accused stole the books on March 12 from the library in Akure.
“The accused stole 12 copies of different volumes of the Nigeria Supreme Court case books valued N400,000, property of Ondo State High Court of Justice.
He said that the accused impersonated a lawyer in order to gain access to the  library.

Ogun
Ogun State Government has begun the distribution of
Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to residents across the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, said that community members had been given net cards during a nine-day household mobilisation held between February 21 and March 1.
He said that the collection of nets would be between March 15 and 19 at respective distribution points across the 20 Local Councils Areas of the state.
Our correspondent reports from some distribution points that residents thronged the venues in large number queuing to collect the nets.

Oyo

The Group Managing Director, Odu’a Investment Com
pany Ltd., Mr Adebayo Jimoh, has called for the adoption of “we-can-do-it” mind-set of the Koreans as a means of developing the nation’s human capital.
Jimoh made the call, while delivering the Distinguished Alumnus Lecture organised by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Ibadan.
Our correspondent reports that the lecture was entitled: “Challenges of Human Capital Development”.
He said that in addition to educating the people, the promotion of an entrepreneurship culture would assist the nation in becoming a technological base driven nation.

Plateau
President Goodluck Jonathan has commended Governor
Jonah Jang, for his strides in transforming Plateau.
Jonathan, represented by Vice President Nnamdi Sambo, gave the commendation in a thanksgiving service to mark the 70th birthday of Jang in Du, Jos South Local Government Area recently.
He said that the achievements of Jang had impacted positively on the lives of the people of Plateau.
“Jang has transformed the state through various projects in the health, agricultural, education and in the construction of roads, and in the construction of the very first flyover in the state”, he said.

Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Lawalli Zayyana, speaking at the opening of a conference organized by the Faculty of Science, Sokoto State University, in Sokoto, last Monday.

Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Lawalli Zayyana, speaking at the opening of a conference organized by the Faculty of Science, Sokoto State University, in Sokoto, last Monday.

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Accolades, Fanfare As Ogbakor Ikwerre President General Celebrates 80th Birthday

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The President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide and the Mgboh XIII of the Mgboh Royal Family of Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze (Barrister) Godspower Onuekwa, penultimate Friday celebrated his 80th birthday with pomp, pageantry and fanfare.

 

The celebration, which commenced with a symposium organised in his honour at Rivers State University on Thursday, August 21,2025, got to a resounding climax on Friday at Suntai Event Centre in Port Harcourt, where people from all walks of life, including business associates, friends, well-wishers, relatives, community folks, traditional rulers, and admirers, gathered to pay glowing tributes to the celebrant.

 

Before then, a well attended thanksgiving service was held that same Friday at Emmanuel Anglican Church, Okoro-Nu-Odo, to honour him and return gratitude to God Almighty for the fruitful and eventful life and accomplishments of the Emohua leader and icon.

 

 

The service which was officiated by Rt Rev Wisdom Budu Ihunwo, Bishop of Niger Delta North had other renowned and respected clerics like Most Rev(Dr) Blessing Enyindah, Dean, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion); Rt Rev(Dr) Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta; Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, Bishop, Diocese of Evo; and Ven Solomon Eze Nelson, Archdeacon, Okoro-Nu-Odo; among others lined up as officiating ministers.

 

The service lived up to its billing, as it featured powerful and soul-lifting praise and worship; point-blank prayers; and beautiful renditions, which electrified the entire atmosphere, essentially packaged to thank God for the life of the celebrant.

 

However, the crowning moment actually came when the who is who, the crème de la crème of the society, thronged the terraces and fabulously decorated expansive hall of Suntai Event Centre, to celebrate Eze Onuekwa, amid accolades, aplomb and panache, wining and dining, and clinking of glasses with him and all.

 

The chairman of the colourful ceremony, Chief Evans Woherem, who was represented by Eze(Prof) Christian Akani of the prestigious Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, praised the celebrant for his youthfulness in spite of clocking 80 years, generosity, humility, humaneness and selfless services to the Ikwerre ethnic nationality, the Niger Delta and Nigeria, and called on all and sundry to emulate his good legacies and simple disposition towards life and existence.

 

Goodwill messages also poured in in torrents to underscore and salute the doggedness, resilience, astuteness and uniqueness of the endearing life of the celebrant, with Prof Emenike Wami, the Ochia Ohna Ikwerre(XIV), taking the lead.

 

Prof Priye Iyalla, the wife of late renowned writer, novelist and playwright, Dr Elechi Amadi, held the audience spellbound as she masterfully reeled out the profile of the celebrant, amid intermittent applause from the crowd.

 

The Tiv Community from Benue State, resident in Rivers State, were not left out, as they honoured and decorated Eze Onuekwa in their complete traditional regalia.

 

Cultural displays from Baptist Church, Rumuowhor; ADNA Wogbuji Dancing Group, Egbeda; Tiv Dancing Group; and Promoter Eze and Rumu-Mgboh Emohua Wrestling Group, equally added colour and grace to the occasion, with the celebrant and his wife, Dame Ann Onuekwa, joining them to wriggle their waists and bodies in ecstasy.

 

In his response, the highly elated celebrant, Eze Onuekwa thanked all those gathered to celebrate with him, saying, celebrations would never cease in their homes, and attributed everything he represents in life, including his modest accomplishments to God.

 

Eze Onuekwa, while addressing newsmen, harped on the need for hard work among the youths and members of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, as a way of sustaining and giving meaning to the motto of the organisation, which he noted is anchored on peace, unity and progress.

 

He specially thanked God for sustaining his life, and for making everything possible for him and his family, saying, he was joyous that he has today become an octogenarian and elder statesman in Rivers State.

 

His son and medical practitioner, Dr Samuel Chizia Onuekwa expressed delight that people from far and near had come together to celebrate the father, whom he described as a role model and great inspirator.

 

He said it was a good thing that the children were celebrating their father when he is alive, stressing that the last time Eze Onuekwa was celebrated in such magnitude was 20 years ago, during his 60th birthday celebration, and prayed God to grant him many more years in good health.

 

Among dignitaries who graced the event were Senator Andrew Uchendu; Chief Sampson Agbaru; Prof Emenike Wami; Dr Peter Didia; Eze(Prof) Samuel Ugo Onyeka; and a host of others. Justice Iche Ndu(rtd); and C O Kattey were among personalities that attended the thanksgiving service, while the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Isaac Zeb-Obipi led the academics who graced the symposium, alongside Eze G A O Omodu.

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Ensure That Ogoni Is Heard In The Right Way, HYPREP Urges Creative Arts Trainees

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As the 100 Ogoni youths trained by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Creative Arts close out their training on Tuesday at the Theatre Arts Department, University of Port Harcourt, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has urged the beneficiaries to use the skills acquired to ensure that the Ogoni stories are told and heard in the right way.

The trainees, who had completed a four- month training in script writing, film production and make-up are beneficiaries of the HYPREP sustainable livelihood programme, aimed at providing high demand skills to Ogoni youths in the lucrative creative arts and entertainment industry.

Zabbey described the Creative Arts training as well as other programmes and interventions as HYPREP’s strategic sustained effort to create alternative sources of livelihood.

”Targeted capacity building for Ogoni youths and women remains a central strategy in HYPREP’s livelihood restoration and improvement efforts. Our goal is to reach every part of the Ogoni community and ensure that no group or talent pool is left behind. This training is a deliberate step to empower young people who aspire to make their mark in the creative and entertainment industry”, he said.

While commending the trainees for producing four short films within the training period, one of which was premiered at the ceremony-Dirty Festival, the Project Coordinator noted that the training would serve as a springboard into the industry, and enable them earn a living, become entrepreneurs, and open new doors of opportunities for themselves and their communities. The three other movies are Open Pain, Bomu and Green War.

He enjoined them to utilise their skills and platforms to promote civic responsibility, peace, and environmental sustainability, urging them to ensure that Ogoni is heard in the right way, speak for HYPREP and highlight the progress being made in implementing the recommendations of the UNEP Report.

Other speakers at the event, including the Director of Technical Services of HYPREP, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi; Dr Ovunda Ihunwo, Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt; Chief Douglas Experience, the Project Coordinator of Halibiz Consult Limited; and Mrs Josephine Nzidee, Head, Sustainable Livelihood of HYPREP, all applauded HYPREP for the training, and charged the trainees to maximise the opportunity.

The trainees were later presented certificates of participation.

Visibly elated Ms Lebee Tornwe, one of the beneficiaries, thanked HYPREP and the Project Coordinator for offering the trainees the rare opportunity to acquire skills in the creative arts and entertainment industry, and expressed delight that Dr Ihunwo and Halibiz Consult Limited gave their all in grooming them.

With the wrapping up of the Creative Arts training(100), HYPREP has trained 230 Ogoni youths in high demand skill sets ,viz; seafaring(100); and aviation (30). The Project will this year, commence training in other skill areas, including Mechatronic, Aviation, Full-Stack Development, Commercial Diving, Underwater Welding and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Still in the offing is the training for Ogoni Persons Living with Disabilities in five skill sets- fish farming; basic computer skills; photography; fashion and design; and shoemaking in line with their Needs Assessment and HYPREP’s policy of inclusivity.

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NYCOP Urges Stakeholders To Develop, Empower Ogoni Youths

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The National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) had called on stakeholders to work collaboratively towards the development and empowerment of Ogoni youths.

NYCOP made the call in a communique issue over the weekend after an emergency Congress in Port Harcourt and signed by its President, Comrade Raymond Nwibani Marcus.

In the communique, NYCOP endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s appointments of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees (BOT) members of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), particularly Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Nwika Deeyah as Chairman of HYPREP’s BOT.

It respectfully appealed to the President to consider appointing a representative from the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) under the leadership of Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, being the pioneering social vehicle for Ogoni advocacy since the inception of the Ogoni struggle, adding that it would significantly contribute to the decision-making process.

The body commended the overall management of HYPREP and urges the President to continue funding the HYPREP project.

NYCOP furthermore recommended considering the conversion of HYPREP from a project to a full-fledged agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The communique also stated that NYCOP thanked President Tinubu for establishing the Federal University of Environmental Technology, and for appointing key staff, forming a dialogue committee, and initiating infrastructural projects like the Eleme axis of the East-West Road and the Bonny-Bodo Road, significantly enhancing regional connectivity and economic prospects.

 

In solidarity with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the endorsed President Tinubu’s second-term bid, saying it believes his leadership embodies the aspirations of the Ogoni people and Nigerians at large.

“After thorough consideration of the Disciplinary Committee’s report, NYCOP resolves:

” To indefinitely suspend Comrade Nade Nade Burale from his position as Secretary General due to misconduct.

“To declare Comrade Saviour Imeabe persona non grata on Ogoni youth issues, given his actions’ potential to instigate crisis in Ogoni and beyond” the communique stated.

NYCOP in his resolution issued a 7-day ultimatum to former HYPREP BOT Chairman Mike Nwialeghi to explain the $100 million HYPREP fund investment, warning of potential litigation.

NYCOP reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Ogoni youth interests and preventing personal aggrandizement.

According to the communique the resolutions demonstrate NYCOP’s efforts to promote the collective welfare and advancement of Ogoni youth.

“We will no longer tolerate any individual or group using the name or issues of Ogoni youth for personal aggrandizement.

” Our mandate is clear: to promote the collective welfare and advancement of Ogoni youth” the communique said.

NYCOP passes a vote of confidence in Hon. Emmanuel Nwika Deeyah, acknowledging his impeccable credentials and credibility to lead the BOT of HYPREP effectively.

 

Kiadum Edookor

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