Nation
THE STATES
Victims of flood disaster and insurgency in Bauchi State
presently have cause to smile and temporarily forget their pains and distress. The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation recently came to their aid after it flagged off the distribution of relief materials to victims of flood, insurgency and communal clashes in the state.
The beneficiaries who hail from 10 Northern states of Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Nasarawa, Plateau and Yobe profusely expressed appreciation to the committee for the timely intervention in cushioning their hardship through the donation of relief materials such as rice, soaps, wrappers, blankets, noodles, salts, palm oil amongst other items.
Shortly after the flag off of the ceremony, the Chairman of the committee, Dr Sani Abubakar Lugga, led a delegation of the committee members on a courtesy visit to Governor Isa Yuguda, at the Government House in Bauchi.
He said the committee decided to extend its humanitarian gesture not only to victims of flood disaster, but also those of insurgency, communal clashes and cattle rustlers adding that the committee went beyond the scope of its mandate to purchase food and non-food items worth N750m to cushion the losses of victims of insurgency and communal clashes in the 10 states.
Jigawa
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State last Monday as
sured non-indigenes living in the state that their rights as Nigerian citizens would be protected.
Lamido who gave the assurance when he received the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sunusi, who paid him Sallah homage in Dutse explained that all non- indigenes living in the state were there as a matter of ‘right’ not ‘privilege,’ hence would not be discriminated against.
The governor said that Nigerians were free to live wherever they chose without any undue harassment by any individual or government, stating that those asking Nigerians to register in their own country were sending a wrong signal that was not healthy for the unity of the country.
Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Dutse, Sunusi, had thanked the governor for transforming the state in the past seven years of his administration. He said that both indigenes and non-indigenes had been living peacefully in the state, promising that efforts would be made to sustain the status-quo.
Kano
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido, has urged Mus
lims in the state to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and sacrifice.
The emir who made the call last Sunday while addressing Muslims after the Eid-El-Fitr prayer at the Kofar Mata ground in Kano, appealed to them to emulate Prophet Muhammed’s life, stressing that the one month fasting should be seen as a period of cleansing and atonement.
“After the Ramadan, we should be more determined to live in the path of Allah as true believers. We should also continue to emulate the exemplary attributes of Islam which are love, tolerance and peaceful co-existence”, he said.
The monarch also called on the people to continue to pray for peace, unity and progress of the state and the country.
Earlier in his sermon, Sanusi, who led the prayer, stressed the need for Muslims to fear God and continue to use all the lessons of the Ramadan to foster unity in the state and country.
Kwara
Former Kwara State Governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, urged
Nigerians yesterday to pray for the peace and stability of the country ahead of next year’s general elections. Dr Saraki made the call in his Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians.
Saraki, the senator representing Kwara Central, said: “Ahead of 2015, I want to use this annual occasion to implore Nigerians not to give up in the quest for a better nation. Let’s not give in for a leadership based on sympathy and the monetary value we stand to gain but on the ground of competence and a strong will to take Nigeria to a greater height.
“Let’s ensure we stay very united and indivisible by religious, ethnic, moral or political lines, because unity is a strong weapon for a better nation. Even as I urge Islamic leaders – from the Emirs to Sheiks and Imams – to further emphasise the core themes of Islam to their followers after Ramadan. I also urge us to let our fervent prayers for Nigeria exceed Ramadan season. Let’s continue to pray for peace, restoration and stability in Nigeria, particularly as 2015 is approaching.
“The holy month of Ramadan affords us the golden opportunity of renewal in thoughts and deeds towards our creator and humanity by prioritising core themes of Islam, which include peace, boundless love for one another, sincerity, holiness and respect for humanity.
“Importantly, the aforementioned themes should not end with the month of Ramadan. They should be effortlessly demonstrated after Ramadan to ameliorate Nigeria’s plight and make her into a better society where her current challenges of insecurity, disrespect for rule of law, corruption among others will become things of the past.”
Lagos
History will be made in Lagos State next month when
Justice Funmilayo Atilade succeeds her sister Justice Ayotunde Pillips as the new Chief Judge. Justice Phillips bowed out last Saturday on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 65. Justice Phillips and Justice Atilade are daughters of the late Justice James Williams, who was a judge in Lagos.
It was learnt that Justice Atilade may be sworn in before the new legal year 2014, which begins on September 2, to mark her first major official assignment and outing. Justice Atilade will become the 15th Chief Judge of Lagos State and the fifth woman to occupy the post.
Justice Atilade was born in London on September 24, 1952. She attended Ladi-Lak Institute in Yaba, Lagos Mainland; Anglican Girls Grammar School, Surulere, 1965 and 1969 and Queens College, 1970 and 1971. She proceeded to the University of Lagos in 1972 and graduated in 1975 with a Law degree. She passed out of the Nigerian Law School in 1976.
Justice Atilade was State Counsel, Federal Ministry of Justice between 1977 and 1979; Principal Legal Officer, Nigerian Ports Authority 1979 to 1981; and a Senior Magistrate Grade 1, 1981 to 1996. She was appointed a judge on July 19, 1996.
She became the Head Judge in June 2012, also occupied by her sister, Justice Phillips before her elevation as the chief judge. She is a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), International Bar Association (IBA) and Ikoyi Club 1938.
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Nasarawa
Associates of Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa
State, have, said the governor has put together a seven-man team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to defend him at the investigative panel set up by the state’s Chief Judge, Umaru Dikko, to probe allegations of fraud and gross misconduct against him.
Speaking with newsmen on the development, Professor Gyewadu noted that Al-Makura’s travails are as a result of bad leadership, even as he insisted that the impeachment process was a right step in the right direction. “The law makers are the true representatives of the people and whatever they do is in the collective interest of all and sundry,” he said.
Before the panel on Al-Makura was set up last Friday, the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Affairs, Abdulhamid Kwara, who addressed a press conference in Lafia last Tuesday, said the governor was putting everything together to appear before the panel at the appropriate time to exonerate himself. The panel is scheduled to commence sitting on Wednesday after the Eid-e-Fitri celebrations.
In the wake of the impeachment process against his friend, a former deputy governor of the state and professor of Law, Onje Gyewadu, had asked the governor to toe the path of resignation, which he said would be more honourable.
Niger
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
in Niger State, has announced that political parties, civil societies organisations and security agencies in the state have agreed that the commission should conduct the bye-election for Niger East senatorial district on Saturday, August 16, 2014.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo, stated this last Friday, during a stakeholders meeting, where the commission proposed the date.
Onucheyo further explained that by law, notice of the election would be made public not later than 14 days to the election, adding that the National Assembly informed the commission of Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta’s death on July 17, 2014.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner said the tenure of the current Assembly expires in June, 2015, saying that “Section 76 of 1999 constitution mandates the commission to conduct bye election to fill this vacant seat, within one month, from date of formal notification”
Ogun
Five persons suspected to be robbers were killed in a
shoot-out by the Police Anti Crime Team attached to Agbado Division of Ogun State, on Saturday.
The police were said to have responded to a distress call from residents of Oluke, Okegbolu and Onireke areas, when the robbers, numbering 12, unleashed terror on them.
One of the suspected robbers was arrested with weapons, while other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.
Items recovered from the robbers included five locally made guns, 30 live cartridges, 12 expended cartridges, three laptops, a cash sum of N85,000, jewelries, five unregistered motorcycles, cutlasses and charms.
The arrested suspect, 26-year-old Oladeinde Rasheed, is a resident of Ijoko Ota area of the state.
Oyo
Former Oyo State Governor Senator Rashidi Ladoja has
dissociated Accord Party from the purported plan by the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The former governor, who was fielding questions from journalists shortly after observing the Eid-el-Fitri prayer at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque, said the party had instructed its members in the Assembly to distance themselves from any attempt at plunging the state into crisis and chaos.
He noted that there was no reason for the House to wake up suddenly with accusation against the governor over any misconduct towards the end of his administration and challenged the House to publish whatever was the misconduct of the governor for people to see.
The former governor said he had suffered impeachment as a person before and got justice from the Supreme Court and would never support any such plan.
He said, “I cannot understand the basis of anybody in the House of Assembly suddenly waking up to nurse any impeachment ambition against Governor Ajimobi. In any case, Accord is not a party to it. I cannot understand why they will wake up and say there is misconduct. Let them publish it for people to see. But as far as I am concerned, our party is not part of any purported plan to impeach Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
L-R: Alhaji Lamidi Ajadi, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and his SSG, Alhaji Ismael Olalekan-Alli, at the Agodi Eid prayer ground during the Eid-el-Fitr prayers in Ibadan last Monday. Photo: NAN
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