Niger Delta
‘Recognition Of Stool Has Restored Odual Kingdom’s Rightful Position’
A clergyman, Pastor Standfast Robinson, has lauded Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for recognising and classifying the ancient stool of the O’Lema of Odual Kingdom in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the State.
Pastor Robinson who made the commendation in Port Harcourt, the state capital also commended the Governor for classifying the stool as a second class stool, and issuing the certificate of recognition and staff of office to the incumbent, King Temple Macdonald Jamala, as the O’Lema of Odual Kingdom the XIX.
The General Overseer of the New Creation Model Church further thanked the governor for the recognition, which he said, has restored the Odual Kingdom to its rightful position in the comity of ethnic nationalities in the state, and for being the first Chief Executive of the State to do so for the Odual people in the over 50 years existence of the state. He, however, appealed to the governor to upgrade the ancient stool to First Class status in line with its contemporaries in the state, noting that, “the ancient Odual stool was first recognised in 1958 by the defunct Eastern region.
It would be recalled that while marking the first 100 days of his second tenure in office recently, Governor Wike upgraded some chieftaincy stools in the state, and issued them with certificates of recognition and staff of offices.
On Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary, he said true freedom comes from God and that Nigeria can only be truly independent when her citizens draw closer to God.
Drawing his sermon from John 8 verse 36. Pastor Rebonson advised Nigerians to draw closer to God to experience true independence and freedom.
Former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Jerry Obasi, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, over alleged attempt on his life by suspected hired assassins in Ebonyi State.
Obasi in a statement, yesterday, said he was trailed from Nkalagu in Ishielu Council Area of the state by an unmarked, white commuter Hiace bus with tinted glasses last Sunday night while returning from a meeting alleging that the aim was to assassinate him.
He said when he noticed that his life was in danger, he sped up and meandered through different roads immediately he got to Abakaliki, to keep away from the view of those who stalked him.
The ex-APGA scribe said he rode in his Mercedes S-Class and that the suspected assassins immediately followed suit, turning the exercise into a car race of sort to the amazement of onlookers.
Obasi alleged that Ebonyi State governor, Chief David Umahi, has a hand in his ordeal for holding strong opinions against his administration.
“Earlier before this ugly and ill-fated incident of 26 July, 2020, I had received information about an imminent attack on me by Ebonyi State governor’s boys. I called one of the leaders of the boys and he promised to call me for us to meet the following day which didn’t happen. The next thing I saw was this attempt on my life,” Obasi said.
Governor Umahi who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, dismissed the allegations as baseless. He said the governor has never sent any of his appointees or supporters to attack anyone, let alone with the intention to kill.
The Paramount Ruler/ Nye Nwe Eli, Rumuogba, Eze Temple Ejekwu, has charged members of the Police Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) not to compromise, if they are prepared for the task.
Ejekwu gave the charge during the inauguration of the committee at Mini Okoro Police Station, recently in Rumuogba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Eze Ogba Iji- Nu -Ede, said that the charge became imperative in order to keep the aim of the committee alive.
Dedication and commitment he said are other values the PCAC members must possess, in an attempt to achieve the mission and vision behind the creation of the outfit.
According to him, the creation of the committee would help in no small measure in curbing crime in the rural areas, as its members are grassroot based.
Dr Ejekwu also called on members of the public to feel free and provide useful information to the police and PCAC members and added that crime fighting should be viewed as everyone’s responsibility.
“Security is not one person’s job, so members of the public must provide useful and timely information for the police and PCAC, if they want the group to succeed”, he said.
On the security level of the state, he rated the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike high going by the relative peace enjoyed in the state.
He further charged the committee members to work in line with Governor Wike’s vision to enthrone business friendly environment that would attract permanent investors in the area.
Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Mini Okoro Police Station, CSP Opayemi Olufunke Isi has reassured members of the public of the police determination to rid the public of crime and thanked the monarch to support for the police.
The Bayelsa State Government has promised to curb all forms of social violence against women and the maltreatment of children in the state.
Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Women,Children and Social Development, Mrs Ayi Ujile stated this during an interview with The Tide in Yenagoa.
She maintained that recently, women through the support of NGOs,women professional bodies and faith based organisations had had to stage protests across various states in the nation to register their grievances against the wanton social Violence’s meted out to them by men in their respective domains.
According to the permanent secretary, following government’s resolve to ending these ill treatments facing women of all age brackets in the state, successive administrations had made concerted efforts in bringing those infringing on women’s rights to book.
Speaking against the backdrop of violation of children’s rights, she mentioned that with the domestication of the Child rights act by the State Assembly last year maltreatment of children and wards will soon be history.
She stressed that the State owned Orphanage home is functioning ultimately, just as she stated that the administrators of the orphanage in consultation with appropriate government ministries had also rescued new born babies from their insane mothers in the streets of the state.
“We’re more than ever willing to stop the menace of social violence against women in this state”, she said.
“We’re aware that very presently women of the state joined their peers from other States to replicate same protest against rape, sexual harassment and other ills meted out to women”, she added.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,Yenagoa.