News
‘The Tide, Voice Of N’Delta, Rivers People’
The former Chief Executive Officer of the Newswatch Communications Limited, Mr Ray Ekpu, says The Tide, which is the only surviving state-owned newspaper in the country represents the voice of Rivers people and the entire Niger Delta.
Mr Ekpu who said this in his paper entitled, “State Media: The Way Forward” at a lecture session organised by the management of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation as part of its 40th year anniversary also described the paper as the battle axe for the people of Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta.
Also speaking, the chairman of the session, Mr Sofiri Bobo-Brown stressed the need for the government to encourage the newspaper to function in the most efficient manner.
Mr Brown who was the former National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) said that the current situation in the country had justified the need for the mission of institutions such as The Tide newspapers and others to be redefined and made more viable.
In his contributions, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Ben Naanen advocated for a population control policy in the country.
Prof Naanen who said this in his lecture entitled, “Medical Oil Industry Partnership and Sustainable Development’ said that there was need for a radical reorientation of the people towards birth control.
The university don also said there was need for the government to evolve ways of conserving the natural resources of the country, emphasizing that the nation’s resources must conform to the principle of sustainability.
He said that the media could partner with oil companies by strengthening the relationship between the companies and their host communities.
Prof Naanen also stressed the need for the media to sustain its advocacy role on the issue of environmental pollution in the Niger Delta.
The General Manager of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo said that The Tide newspaper had continued to remain one of the leading papers in the newspaper industry in the country.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government says it is still committed to the reviving and repositioning of all state owned media houses for the challenges ahead.
The commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari said this during a Gala/Award Nite organised by the management of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC) as part of the activities to mark the 40th anniversary of The Tide newspapers.
Mrs Semenitari said that the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi understood the plight of the media houses and he was committed to reviving and repositioning them.
The occasion which was chaired by a member of the federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke witnessed the presentation of both corporate and individual awards.
The corporate awards went to the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Hotel Presidential, Rivers State Bureau of Public Procurement (BoPP) and Integrated Logistics Limited (INTELS) amongst others.
The individual awards went to Sole Administrator, Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, Executive Director, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr Noble Pepple, and the Managing Director, Bureau of Public Procurement, Franklin Nlerum.
The rest are, Sienne Allwell Brown, External Relations Manager, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Professor B. B. Fakae, Vice Chancellor, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Monalisa Chinda, a Nollywood actress, Sam Dede, renowned Nollywood actor and university teacher, Noble Abe, Managing Director, Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Mr Noble Abe and Rivers-born musicians, Duncan Mighty.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.