Niger Delta

Celebrate Mothers While Alive, Cleric Tells Parishioners

Published

8 years ago

November 13, 2017

The Founder and Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Evangel Mission, Pastor Ule Williams has stated that mothers are worthy to be celebrated while alive than in death.
The senior pastor stated this during the 80th Birthday Celebration of his mother, Deaconess Justinah Ule Glad at the Mgbuoba Branch of the church in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Williams stressed that mothers are worth celebrating and deserved to be, taking a glance at his early years when he was young and now a grown up family man, facing family hustles, realised that his mother would go to every length in ensuring that food are put on the table, unlike some men who do not care.
He titled the topic of the day as: ‘Celebrating The Goodness of God: Honouring A worthy Mother,’ and Texts Proverbs 13:1-17 and 2 Corinthians 6:1-16.
The pastor noted that Christianity is not a religion, but God’s divine purpose concerning man, hence when man failed Jesus Christ came as the Second Adam to restore and unite mankind with God.
Williams explained that mothers are special gifts from God and blessings to humanity and thus, deserved to be celebrated, respected and recognised while they are alive and not to be celebrated in death.
He enjoined all never to dishonor their mothers by wishing them death, but should take proper care of them no matter the hardship, adding that when mothers are well catered for, honoured and respected, divine grace comes upon that home and thing starts to turn around for good in such a home.
He stressed that when mothers are celebrated at old age and while they are alive, makes them appreciate their children’s contribution to their lives the more, adding also that people gets it very wrong to celebrate them in deaths than alive.
Honouring them when they are alive gives them more reason to live life to its fullness because the recognition given them becomes a blissful one to them which spur and rejuvenate them to keep on fighting to sustain and more further in life”.
On her part, the celebrant of the day, Deaconess Justinah Ule Glad, Nee Ogbapu: An Amazon advised all of her age mates who came to celebrate her to keep trusting God for such a celebration of this nature whether they have children or not, adding that God would always raise men to honour them.
The Amazon could not expressed her joy in words alone, but burst into singing the Song titled: “I never know He would Honour me this way….”, adding despite all the trials, temptations from her in-laws and tribulations that out of seven children, she lost four to the cold hands of death as graduates and undergraduates, yet never gave up on God, but kept on trusting God.
Speaking also her daughter-in-law Mrs Deborah Ule Williams said it is real a blessing to have such a lovely mother-in-law, adding that she feels very comfortable and hay, but advised all other daughter-in-laws who might not be lucky to have such a mother-in-law as hers to be patient and prayerful with their over protectiveness towards their sons as it would take only the grace of God for things to turn around for their favour.
Mrs Williams stressed that the joy and happiness on the face of Mama today, cannot be seen when mothers are celebrated in death, hence, urged all to emulate from the celebration and start celebrating and honouring their mothers while alive as it gives them more reasons to live long happily with their children, grand and great grand children.
Highlights of the events were the cutting of cake surrounded by the celebrant and her children, grand and great grand children and grand children drama presentation.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.