Niger Delta

New Press Centre: Perm Sec Charges NUJ On Maintenance Culture

Published

11 years ago

August 28, 2015

Deputy Editor, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), Mr Donald Mike-Jaja (right), presenting a gift to the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, during the Seniapu and members of King Jaja War Canoe House’ visit to the monarch in Port Harcourt, yesterday Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken

The Nigeria Union of Jour
nalists (NUJ), Rivers State council, has been called upon to cultivate a maintenance culture to protect the newly constructed NUJ secretariat.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Mr. Sam Woka, represented by the Director, Planning, Research, and Statistics Department of the ministry, Mr. Tonye Jenewari, made the call during the thanksgiving and dedication service of the union secretariat in Port Harcourt recently.
Woka described the edifice as a money spinner, calling on the executive council of the union to be prudent in the management of revenue accruing from the use of the facilities provided within the secretariat.
In a welcome address, the state Chairman of NUJ, Mr. Omoni Ayo-Tamuno said that the union realised the necessity of thanking God for His mercies to all journalists in the state and for the successful elections of the union both in the state and at the national level, saying that gratitude attracts more magnificient blessings from God.
Ayo- Tamuno said that dedicating the secretariat to God show how much the union appreciates God in making the secretariat real, and called on journalists to eschew all forms of grievances and differences and work together as a people in order to take the union to greater heights.
Also speaking, the immediate past NUJ State Chairman and current Zonal Secretary, Opaka Dokubo, expressed gratitude to the management of The Tide Newspaper Corporation for accommodating the union free of charge for five years, encouraging the present state executive of NUJ to see the secretariat as a worthy legacy bequeathed to them.
In his goodwill message, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ndowa E. Sunday Lale, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Humanities of the institution, Prof. John Enemugweum, admonished journalists in the state to emulate the late Ernest Ikoli, after whom the secretariat is named, and be fearless and objective in reporting as the voice of the minority and the voiceless to impact the society positively.
The General Manager of Radio Rivers, Mr. Sampson Fiberesima, urged the executive of NUJ to realize that the secretariat was built with tax payers’ money, and cautioned them to be careful in the usage of the facilities, advising them to put up a policy geared towards maintaining the edifice.
The General Manager Rivers State Newspaper Corproation, Mr. Celestine Ogolo, said that he had no doubt in the capability of NUJ in maintaining the edifice because, for the five years the union made use of the premises of The Tide, they caused no damage to the facility, calling on them to keep the tempo.
Earlier, the Parish Pastor of First Baptist Church, Aggrey Road, Port Harcourt, Rev. Isiah David had called on journalists in the country to operate within the ethics of their profession.
Rev. David, decried situation where journalists compromised by twisting facts just to favour their paymasters and put the masses in confusion.
David, who also performed the dedication of the new Ernest Ikoli Press Centre in Port Harcourt, urged journalists to always say the truth and be on the side of the masses, admonishing them to be fearless and courageous in doing their work, even as he advised them to put in good use the secretariat edifice to the glory of God always.
Some other dignitaries at the occasion were the Zonal Director of News of Radio Nigeria, Gina Osika-Daka, General Manager, External Relations, Shell Nigeria, Igo Weli and SPDC spokesperson, Joseph Obari, among others.

Niger Delta

24 Nigerian Universities Make 2026 THE Rankings … 4 S’South Versitieis Pull Through

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria has recorded its strongest-ever outing in global university rankings, with 24 institutions earning places in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.

However, only four universities from the South-South geopolitical zone made the prestigious list.

The South-South institutions that secured places in the rankings are Delta State University, Abraka (12th), University of Benin (22nd), University of Calabar (23rd), and University of Port Harcourt (24th).

The rankings, which represent Nigeria’s highest-ever participation, reinforces the country’s growing influence in higher education across Sub-Saharan Africa, with 24 universities listed, up from 21 in both the 2024 and 2025 editions.

The University of Ibadan retained its position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution, followed by the University of Lagos, while Bayero University, Kano, emerged as the third-best performing university in the country.

Of the 24 institutions, 17 are federal universities, four are state-owned, and three are private universities, reflecting broad improvements in teaching, research, and institutional performance across the country’s tertiary education sector.

The rankings also underscore the growing global recognition of Nigeria’s specialised universities of technology and agriculture, while state-owned institutions continue to improve their academic profiles through enhanced research output and governance reforms.

The full list of Nigeria’s universities in the 2026 THE rankings are: University of Ibadan; University of Lagos; Bayero University, Kano; Covenant University; Landmark University; Ahmadu Bello University; Federal University of Technology, Minna; University of Ilorin; University of Jos; University of Nigeria; Babcock University; and Delta State University, Abraka.

Others are: Ekiti State University; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Lagos State University; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Obafemi Awolowo University; University of Benin; University of Calabar; and University of Port Harcourt.

The rankings highlight both Nigeria’s expanding presence on the global academic stage and the need for greater investment in higher education across regions, particularly in the South-South, where only four universities made the country’s top 24 list.

Niger Delta

‘Ogbolo ’26’: Bayelsa Community Revives Heritage, Strengthens Unity

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Ogu Community in Otubo-Atissa, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has stated its commitment to preserving its culture, peace and community development through the celebration of the annual “Uge Adiafa” New Yam Festival, tagged “Ogbolo ’26.”

Held at St. John’s Primary School Field, Ogu, the colourful festival served not only as the traditional commencement of the yam harvest season, but also as a tribute to the community’s illustrious son and founder of the Uge Adiafa Festival, His Majesty, Late King Fedrick Aduku Simangi Ogbotom-Edede IV.

The celebration brought together sons and daughters of the community, traditional rulers, academics, youths and other guests in a display of thanksgiving, cultural performances and renewed communal solidarity.

Addressing the gathering, the traditional head of the community, HRH Bishop Akuegbe Paul, expressed delight at the massive turnout, describing the festival as a symbol of thanksgiving to God, cultural identity and unity among the people.

He noted that beyond celebrating a successful farming season, the festival honours the enduring legacy of the late monarch, whose vision established the Uge Adiafa Festival as a platform for preserving the community’s rich cultural heritage and promoting peaceful coexistence.

Guest of Honour, Professor Nedie Patience Akani, of Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, commended the community for embracing reconciliation and unity.

Professor Akani, who is of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, of the university and a daughter of the soil, said, “This is my first time attending this New Yam Festival. I came because of the good things happening in this community.

“Before now, there were quarrels in the community, with court cases here and there, brother fighting against brother. But today, God has united us. It is a wonderful thing to be united because where there is no unity, there can be no progress in the home, family or community.

“I thank the head of Ogu Community, HRH, Bishop Akuege Paul, for making today’s celebration a reality”, she stated.

The event also featured inter-compound cultural competitions, with Yenikabu II Compound emerging overall winner, while Bongata Compound and Abrima Compound finished first d second runners-up respectively.

Also, eleven Compound Chiefs alongside their respective Head Compound Women Chiefs were coronated. The Woman Chief of Ogu Community, HH, Dare Tiebiri and her Deputy, Chief Stella Jordan Mark, were also coronated.

Dignitaries that graced the occasion included the Ebenanawei of Akamabubu Kingdom, Southern Ijaw LGA, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, HRM, King J. Olotu Erepamo; the Paramount Ruler, Ikibiri Community, Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa State, HRH, Barrister Morris Lagos; and the Ebeni-Isisibo of Atissa Kingdom, HRH, God’swill Arab Simeon.

Other are: the Ebeni-Otubo, Atissa Kingdom, HRH, Sir Anderson J. Olumo, and his wife, Mrs. Tarila Anderson Olumo; the Deputy Head of Ogu Community, HH, Mission Obugu, and wife of the Ebeni-Ibe of Atissa Kingdom, Mrs. Diemeze Victor Awala.

For the people of Ogu, the festival was more than a celebration of the first harvest, it underscored the importance of preserving cultural traditions, strengthening communal bonds, promoting reconciliation and passing cherished values from one generation to another, while also ensuring that the legacy of their forebears continue to inspire future generations.

Niger Delta

SEEPCO Collaborates Delta, Others In Voluntary Blood Donation Campaign

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) has partnered the Delta State Government, Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society to promote voluntary blood donation as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s blood supply and save lives.

The initiative, which forms part of SEEPCO’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for its host communities, aligns with activities marking the 2026 World Blood Donor Day with the theme, “One Drop of Humanity: Give Blood, Save Lives.”

The campaign was conducted across Delta State’s three senatorial districts — Asaba, Ughelli and Warri — where stakeholders sensitised residents on the importance of voluntary, regular and unpaid blood donation as the most sustainable means of ensuring adequate blood supply for healthcare facilities.

The exercise followed a similar campaign in Lagos State, where SEEPCO, in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, mobilised about 550 pints of blood within two days.

VCDF also highlighted the steady growth of its annual blood donation drive, with the number of donors increasing from 98 in 2022 to 147 in 2023, 268 in 2024 and 341 in 2025.

Before the Delta campaign, the foundation had recorded a cumulative total of 1,404 voluntary donors, a feat that earned it the Blood Donation Champion Award from the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service.

At the Central Hospital, Ughelli, the hospital’s management and Blood Transfusion Committee commended SEEPCO, VCDF, the Delta State Ministry of Health and other partners for supporting initiatives aimed at improving access to safe blood for patients.

Speaking during the campaign, Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, described voluntary blood donation as critical to responding to public health emergencies and saving lives during accidents, childbirth and other medical emergencies.

He said: “Voluntary blood donation is important for public health emergencies and to save lives during accidents and childbirth. We are deeply grateful to VCDF and its partners for their commitment to promoting voluntary blood donation and supporting life-saving healthcare initiatives.”

Participants said the awareness campaign had increased public understanding of the importance of blood donation, with many first-time donors expressing willingness to become regular donors after learning about the safety, benefits and life-saving impact of donating blood.

Stakeholders also stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment, noting that a single blood donation could save multiple lives, as the campaign recorded impressive community participation across the three senatorial districts.