Nation
THE STATES
Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree (left), former Speaker, Rt. Hon Tonye Harry (middle) and Leder of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, scrutinising the 2013 Appropriation Bill prior to its passage, recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
Adamawa
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria has constructed a health clinic worth N4.5 million in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa.
The acting Bishop of Yola Diocese, Reverend Ishaku Bala, who disclosed this at the opening of a three-day conference of the diocese on Friday in Gombi said that the clinic was built to address the health needs of the people in the area.
Bala added that the church had implemented several human capacity buildings programme to improve the living standard of its members across the state.
“The church has also established poultry and fish ponds that will accommodate more than 1000 chickens and different variety of fish,” he said.
Borno
The Defence Headquarters said on Saturday in Abuja that 65 persons suspected to be terrorists had been apprehended by its Special Task Force (STF).
A statement signed by Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, said the terrorists were caught while attempting to infiltrate Maiduguri as they fled their various camps now under attack.
The statement said the arrest was a continuation mission aimed at ridding the nation’s territories of all insurgent activities.
“The facilities have now been occupied by our troops,’’ it said further.
The statement said further that, in another development, troops have engaged and dislodged elements of insurgent groups who carried out the May 7 attacks on citizens in localities such as Gamboru ward.
FCT
A member of Forum of Legal Practitioners, otherwise known as ‘Lex Fora’, has advocated death penalty for rapists.
A former Chairman of the forum in the FCT, Mr Paul Eshiemomoh, who made the suggestion in an interview in Abuja on Sunday, described the act of rape as barbaric and animalistic.
“Because I don’t see any sense in a man going to rape an underage, such people should not be allowed to leave among people in the society Yes, I support imposition of death penalty for rapists because it will serve as deterrent to others,’’ he said.
Eshiemomoh said that the law prescribes maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment for rapists because it is a major crime, and decried the poor handling of rape cases by some prosecuting agencies, such as the police.
Jigawa
Two hundred and students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Dutse Campus, matriculated on Saturday for the 2012/13 academic year.
The Coordinator of the Study Centre, Malam Abdullahi Abubakar, said at the matriculation ceremony that the centre, established in 2008 with five students, currently had 751 students.
Abdullahi expressed concern over the low patronage for programmes of the school and appealed to the people to embrace them considering that NOUN was like any other university.
He said that NOUN provided opportunity for both the young and the old to continue their education through the distance learning process.
Kaduna
The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) has warned that it would punish its staff involved in extorting money from customers.
Addressing the Customers’ Consultative Council at Sabon-Tasha Business Unit forum in Kaduna, the Managing Director of KEDC, Malam Mohammed Idris, said the management was worried by frequent complaints of monetary extortion by its staff.
Idris said the company was determined to deliver quality service to customers and would not allow any bad eggs to tarnish the image of the company and rubbish its efforts to meet the aspirations of its consumers.
Kaduna
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna, has accredited seven programmes of the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology (FCAPT), Kano.
The college was established in 2008 to train middle level manpower in agriculture, post-harvest technology and agricultural produce inspection. The Provost of the college, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, who disclosed this in Kano on Sunday in an interview said the accreditation was for the institution to award National Diploma in Science Laboratory Technology, Food Technology and Statistics.
He said the college was in the process of developing a curriculum for National Diploma in Produce Post-harvest Technology and Produce Inspection.
Nasarawa
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nasarawa State command, has started a sensitisation campaign on traffic rules and regulations for primary school pupils in Lafia.
Addressing the pupils of Loremm International Primary School, Lafia, on Friday, sector commander, Mr Francis Udoma, advised children to educate their parents on how to drive in accordance with the rules governing driving.
Represented by Mr Basil Igbana, Udoma urged road users to exercise caution as they drive to reduce the rate of accident, and advised road users to make sure their vehicles are in good condition before starting any journey.
In her remarks, the proprietress of the school, Mrs Ego Okafor, who was represented by Mr Bob Nwankwo, described children as “agents of change’’.
Osun
The Osun Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sikiru Ayedun, on Saturday said the state government was preparing to give a facelift to historical sites to boost tourism.
Ayedun who made this disclosure in a telephone interview in Lagos, said the state was blessed with an array of culture, arts and tourism opportunities to make it the number one tourism destination in the country.
The commissioner said it was on the basis of the derivable benefits from the venture that necessitated government’s decision to embark on the project.
Ayedun revealed that government had previously restored sites such as the Olajokun Memorial Park, Osun Grove, “Opa Oranmiyan”, Oke-Mogun shrine in Ile-Ife and the Oluminrin Waterfall in Erin-Ijesa.
Oyo
Three African Congres of Nigeria (ACN) Governors, Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti have pledged support for Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State’s urban renewal project.
The governors made the promise on Saturday at a reception at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium Ibadan, to climax the chieftaincy titles conferred on the governor and his wife.
The governors, who spoke separately, said that Ajimobi had restored the glory of Oyo State, adding that he had achieved the set goals of his administration in two years.
Plateau
Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang has described Presi
dent Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of emergency rule in three states as the best decision for the country.
Jang made the declaration while speaking to newsmen on arrival at the Jos Airport after a three-week trip abroad ,last Saturday.
“Our president knows better as the chief security officer of this country, and he has acted in the interest of all citizens.“Without peace, there is no way Nigeria can enjoy the patronage of investors. Peace is a prerequisite for investment, development and growth.“Ours is to support everything the President is doing, so that we can bring total peace to our country,’’ he said.
The governor said he and some others were just back from an investment summit in Canada aimed at attracting investors to the country.
Sokoto
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON), has allocated 6,450 seats to Sokoto State for the 2013 Hajj, top official of the pilgrims agency has said.
The Chairman, Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA), Alhaji Muntari Maigona, said in an interview in Sokoto on Saturday, that Gov. Aliyu Wamakko had approved over N25 million for the provision of computers and other accessories for the establishment of ultra-modern ICT-compliant Hajj registration centres.
He said that part of the funds would be used for the intensive training of the Hajj registration officials in the state to ensure success of the ongoing biometric registration of all prospective pilgrims.
Zamafara
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, says police will now strengthen partnership with communities to identify potential national security threats.
The IG said this on Saturday in Gusau at the opening of a one-day Intelligence Sensitisation and Community Partnership Workshop.
Abubakar, who was represented on the occasion by the AIG North West Zone, Suleiman Fakai, said partnership with communities would now take “central role in preventing and responding to terrorism and reducing citizens’ security concerns”.
The measure, according to him, will also enhance national security, protection of lives and property and stabilise democracy.
Gov. Abdulaziz Yari, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government, Muttaka Rini, expressed readiness to always partner with security agencies to ensure peace in the state.
Yari said government would always support the agencies with logistics to enhance their performances in the protection of peoples’ lives and property and ensure peaceful coexistence among the communities.
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
