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As Rivers Pays Last Respect To Late Attorney-General …Azinge Condemns Dictatorship At Memorial Lecture
The remains of Rivers State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, late Sir Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma(SAN) would be buried tomorrow at Ogbu-nu-Abali in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state.
Late Aguma died after a brief illness in a London hospital.
According to a funeral programme made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, activities for the final interment of the late commissioner started last Wednesday, with a public lecture titled, “The Rule of Law and Leadership in Nigeria’s Democracy, The Role of Attorney General”.
This was followed by Night of Tributes at Rex Lawson Cultural Centre, Bonny Street in Port Harcourt yesterday, while service of songs holds, today, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu by Garrison, Port Harcourt.
The programme signed by Chairman of the Burial Committee, Rt. Hon. Austin Opara further said that there would be a valedictory session at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, tomorrow, between 8.00am and 8.45am, to be followed by a Valedictory Court session at the state High Court Complex, Port Harcourt from 9.00am to 10.00 am.
According to the programme, Aguma’s body would lie in state at his family home, Orogbum, Ogbun-nu-Abali, 10.15am to 11.30am, funeral service at St. Paul’s Cathedral Diobu by 12.00noon to be followed by interment at the family home, Orogbum, Port Harcourt while reception would take place at Ahia Makara, Orogbum, Ogbun-nu-Abali, Port Harcourt.
The programme further said that a thanksgiving service would hold on Sunday at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu by Garrison, Port Harcourt.
The late Attorney General, who was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was born on April 21, 1961.
He was the first son of Sir Emmanuel W. Aguma.
He was educated at Santa Maria Primary School and St. Paul’s Primary School, Diobu, Comprehensive Secondary School, Port Harcourt and County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche.
He was later admitted into Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, and later Aldgate’s College in Oxford, London for his London GCE in Advanced Level.
For his university education, the late Attorney-General went to the University of Warwick between 1981 and 1984, and the University of Sheffield from 1984 to 1987 where he obtained BA (Hons) and LLB (Hons) with 2nd Class Upper Division, respectively, before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School between 1987 and 1988.
Meanwhile, the former Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof Epiphany Azinge has declared that the use of forces of coercion to undermine the democratic preference of voters was the worst crime against the rule of law.
Speaking during a public lecture in honour of the late Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, Sir Emmanuel Aguma (SAN), last Wednesday, Azinge regretted that the illegal use of security agencies to undermine the constitutional governance.
The public lecture titled: “The Rule of Law and Leadership in Nigeria’s Democracy: The Role of the Attorney General” had in attendance Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Austin Opara, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, traditional rulers and leaders of the state.
Azinge said: “Another brazen affront to the concept of the rule of law is the ignoble role of law enforcement agencies to wit, police, state security services, the armed forces in the affairs of bastardization of democratic norms and principles.
“Law enforcement agencies continue to be used as veritable tools for perpetration of election rigging in our polity. It is a notorious fact that has been on since independence. However, since 1999, it has now assumed a disturbing dimension. To use forces of coercion to undermine the wishes of the electorate in an election is simply the highest form of debasement of the concept of rule of law”.
He said that good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially to protect the rights of all group of persons.
He said: “The burden of good governance tied to rule of law is to a large extent on the office of the attorneys general of both the federation and the states.”
The legal luminary said that the Attorney General has the responsibility of advising the government to ensure that the rule of law was maintained and government actions are constitutional and valid in law.
He said that the late Attorney-General of Rivers State was one of the finest chief law officers and legal minds of Rivers State.
He said: “In Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma, KSC, SAN, Rivers State Government was privileged to have one of the finest legal minds as chief law officer of the state. His patrician carriage, elevated thought process and commanding presence made him the toast of his peers and colleagues”.
Azinge added that the late Aguma was unapologetically an apostle of the concept of the rule of law, saying that Rivers State benefited from his legal advice.
“Emmanuel Aguma has played his part and now belongs to the pantheon of great legal icons and his legacy will live forever. He will be remembered as that Attorney-General who will dust his books and head to the court to defend the position of the government he served”.
Chairman of the occasion, Emma Ukala (SAN) said that the organisation of the Public Lecture in honour of the late Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Rivers State by the state government lays credence to the very special place that he occupies in the hearts of the governor and people of the state.
He said though Aguma was young, he carved out a place for himself in the history.
“We are here to immortalise the memory of Aguma. He had a brave sense of Justice. He was very courageous. But he knew decent boundaries defined by law. He worked for the survival of democratic institutions, especially the Justice”, he said.
Head of Service of Rivers State, Rufus Godwins said the late Attorney-General of Rivers State and Wike shared a passion for the promotion of the rule of law.
The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
“The expectations are high, and the responsibility is immense. But with commitment and teamwork, we can deliver a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred public service.
“This final lap of FCSSIP 25 calls for urgency, accountability, and strategic focus. You must translate vision into measurable results,” she stated.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, described the programme as a strategic investment in leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
The sessions featured expert-led discussions, simulations, and strategic briefings facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including Engr. Suleiman Adamu, former Minister of Water Resources; Dr. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice; Alh. Yusuf Addy, retired Federal Director; Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Amb. Mustapha Lawal Suleiman, Mr. Adesola Olusade, and Dr. Ifeoma Anagbogu, all retired Permanent Secretaries.
Participants include Dr. Obi Emeka Vitalis, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi, Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, Dr. Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma, Dr. Umobong Emanso Okop, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen, Mrs. Oyekunle N. Patience, Dr. Kalba U. Danjuma, Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Mr. Onwusoro I. Maduka, Dr. Usman Salihu Aminu, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, Mr. Ndiomu Ebiogeh Philip, Dr. Anuma N. Ogbonnaya, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olaninre, and Mr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, alongside the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi.
The induction programme will feature sessions on public sector leadership, policy delivery, ethics in service, digital transformation, and performance management.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has announced that a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will begin soon.
Edun revealed this at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held alongside the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
The minister explained that the recent changes in the NNPCL management are part of a broader effort by the Federal Government to clean up and examine the company closely.
While addressing top global investors, including representatives from J.P. Morgan, Edun shared key reforms the government has introduced to revive the economy and restore investor confidence.
He told the investors that the government’s bold economic steps have laid a strong foundation to attract private investment.
He stated, “Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it. We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
Edun highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has rolled out major reforms that are already making a difference.
He added that the Nigerian economy grew by 3.84 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 and recorded a 3.4 per cent growth for the year.
Edun further stressed the importance of the reforms, describing them as “unprecedented,” adding that, “We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course.”
He pointed out signs of progress such as lower budget deficits, a better trade balance, and a more stable exchange rate.
He also said that the focus is now on growing key sectors, especially agriculture.
According to Edun, agriculture is at the top of the government’s agenda, with the aim of improving food supply and increasing productivity.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
On infrastructure, Edun revealed that the government has rolled out 90,000km of fibre optic cable to improve internet access.
He said this move is crucial for supporting young Nigerians and tech startups.
He also noted that 4,000km of roads have been offered for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.