Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
No fewer than 27 organisations have declared their readiness to campaign for the re-election of Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa on the PDP platform in 2012.
The party’s Chairman in the state, Alhaji Mijinyawa Kugama, made the announcement at the inauguration of the office of the Adamawa Consensus Forum for the Nyako/Ngilari 2012 Support Group.
Kugama said the emergence of the growing number of interest groups clamouring to work for the re-election of Nyako was a welcome development and a testimony of his good performance in transforming Adamawa.
“As far as we are concerned in the PDP, this is a pointer that Nyako’s team is a winning one that is just waiting for 2012 to renew its mandate with ease.”
In his remarks, Nyako lauded all those working to ensure PDP’s victory and gave assurance that his administration would continue to ensure fairness to all parts of the state in terms of development projects in line with the party’s manifesto.
He said the PDP had been good to the Adamawa people at all levels and its re-election would ensure continued provision of democracy dividends.
‘’Some say PDP will lead Nigeria for 60 years. As for the people of Adamawa we won’t mind PDP ruling for 600 years.’’
Bauchi
Bauchi State House of Assembly has approved the request earlier submitted to it by Gov. Isa Yuguda to appoint Directors-General but warned him against incurring additional fund for the exercise.
The approval followed reports of an ad hoc committee earlier set up by the House under Alhaji Hassan Ningi to investigate if the request was in line with the nation’s constitution.
Ningi, in his reports at the House plenary session on Thursday, presided over by Speaker Yahaya Miya, said that Yuguda had the power to appoint personal aides under the 1999 Constitution.
He told the legislators that the committee, in the course of its investigations, discovered that under Section 208 (2) D of the amended 1999 Constitution, the governor has the power to appoint personal staff and ascribe any name to them.
Miya observed that the appointment of directors-general ranked below the special advisers but placed above senior special assistants to the governor.
He, therefore, advised that since they were above special assistants, the nominations must be submitted to the House for confirmation.
FCT
A don, Prof. Saleh Dauda, has called on African leaders to embrace constitutionalism in governance to enhance peace in the continent.
Dauda, who teaches political science and international relations at the University of Abuja, made the call in Gwagwalada, FCT, while reacting to the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Thursday.
Gaddafi, who ruled his country for 42 years, was killed on Thursday in Sirte, his home town, while trying to escape from being captured by rebels, who had been fighting to overthrow his government.
Dauda told newmen that the Libyan people revolted against Gaddafi because he denied them their fundamental human rights.
Dauda, therefore, called on African leaders to ensure that the wishes and desires of their people were given utmost attention because, according to him, the quest for change is a global phenomenon.
He also called on politicians in the continent to see political office as a call to service “within a specific period”.
Gombe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Gombe State is to engage the services of 1,052 ad-hoc staff for the conduct of the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency bye-election fixed for October 22.
The INEC Administrative Secretary in Gombe State, Alhaji Mohammed Giro, told newsmen in Gombe that 20 permanent staff would be involved in the election.
Giro said that the training of the ad-hoc staff, most of them NYSC members has, commenced adding that voting would take place in 317 polling units in the two local government areas of Balanga and Billiri.
The administrative secretary said, “We are fully prepared for the conduct of election and had already assigned all ad-hoc staff to all the polling units.
“They are expected to report to their places of assignment as soon as their training is concluded. We are also in possession of non-sensitive election material and the sensitive ones will arrive in Gombe on Thursday.
Kaduna
The National President, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Mr Mohammed Auwal-Ibrahim, says colleges of education are critical to the production of quality teachers in the education system.
He spoke with journalists shortly after the opening of an expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the National Delegate Conference of COEASU held at the Federal College of Education (FCE) Zaria last Thursday.
Auwal-Ibrahim observed that colleges of education were the necessary path toward the production of sound teachers, “while teachers are central to the educational development of any nation’’.
“Growth and development of any sector of the nation’s economy lies on the quality of teachers to produce the basic manpower needed in the sector,” he said.
He appealed to government to accord special attention to teacher-education with a view to graduating quality teachers, who would in turn contribute to national growth and development.
Kano
An economist, Dr Aminu Ahmed, has advised the non-oil producing states in the country to diversify their revenue base and explore the potential of solid mineral resources.
Ahmed told newsmen in Kano that the diversification of Nigeria’s revenue sources would safeguard the nation from plunging into economic crisis.
He noted that there were over 400 sites with various mineral resources in commercial quantities across the country, adding, however, that “the main problem to our economic growth is the lack of political will”.
He stressed that successive governments had failed to explore the enormous potentials and opportunities existing in the solid minerals sector, resulting in the country’s over-dependence on oil.
Ahmed, who identified diamond, gold, gypsum, limestone and glass as some of the country’s solid minerals that were in high demand in the international market, said that the minerals could also be processed locally.
Kwara
Wife of Kwara Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmad, has called on political office holders in the state to make use of her Charity Foundation’s free health care to enhance the health care delivery of the people.
Ahmed, the initiator of LEAH Charity Foundation, said this in Ilesha Baruba in Baruteen Local Government Area of Kwara on Wednesday during the inauguration of Clinic-On Wheel Programme.
She said that the clinic-on-wheel programme became necessary due to the increasing rate of malaria, diabetes, blindness and hypertension in the state.
The clinic-on-wheel programme is a mobile clinic that affords the people the opportunity to access health care services from the team of medical experts going round the communities.
The Kwara first lady said, “LEAH Charity Foundation is offering free drugs for newly diagnosed malaria cases, provision of free prescription eye glasses and free cataract operation.”
She pointed out that the medical team would be around for some weeks moving round the three districts of the local government area.
Lagos
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it is not against any meeting with the Federal Government, its ministers or agents, but insists that such meeting must have a clear agenda.
Mr Owei Lakemfa, the Acting General Secretary of NLC, said this on Saturday in a statement made available in Lagos.
Lakemfa said he was reacting to the meeting allegedly held between the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu, and some labour leaders in Abuja on October 20.
He said that the leadership of NLC boycotted the meeting because there was no clear agenda.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that labour is not averse to any meeting with the Federal Government, its ministers or agents,’’ he said.
Nasarawa
Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Al-makura, on Wednesday submitted four separate requests to the state House of Assembly, including the one asking for the confirmation of his proposed 18-man cabinet.
The governor also asked the legislature to approve his proposal to appoint 20 special advisers.
The requests were presented to the House by the Majority Leader, Assemblyman Godiya Akwashiki (PDP-Nasarawa Eggon West).
The requests include the legislature’s consideration and approval of the 2011 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, which aims at capturing expenses that are not reflected in the 2011 budget.
Others are a bill seeking the amendment of the Remuneration of Political and Public Office Holders and a bill for the Establishment, Structure, Composition, Finance and Functions of Local Government System (Second Amendment).
After some intense debate, the House resolved to prune down Al-makura’s request for 20 special advisers to 15.
Niger
No fewer than 11 pregnant women from Niger have been barred from performing this year’s Hajj by the State Pilgrims Welfare Commission.
The Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Mamman Mohammad, announced this in an interview with newsmen in Minna on Wednesday.
He said those disqualified were detected following the thorough screening of female prospective pilgrims.
Mohammad said the commission’s medical team detected the women during the screening preparatory to their departure to Saudi Arabia.
He said the screening was a success as all the pregnant women, who had attempted to beat the exercise, were detected and barred from the Hajj.
Mohammad said barring such women from the pilgrimage was due to the health hazard that could be encountered during the exercise.
He said it was in line with the guidelines of the Saudi Arabian Government and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that forbade them from undertaking the Hajj.
Mohammad said the state lost seven seats as penalty from NAHCON over the inability to detect some pregnant women during the 2010 Hajj operation which resulted in miscarriages.
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.
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.
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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