Niger Delta

Bayelsa Monarchs Applaud Dickson Over Stool Upgrade

Published

6 years ago

February 23, 2020

Paramount rulers of Agbura and Ekeki communities of Atissa and Epie clans,Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, King, E.N Daufa and Bernerd Odoki have eulogised the outgone Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson for keeping to his reelection campaigns promises of reclassifying traditional stools in the state.
The two Royal Fathers gave the commendations at the weekend in separate interviews with our correspondent in their palaces in Yenagoa.
King Daufa and Odoki who were openly elated over their new statuses expressed appreciation to the immediate past Governor on their upgrade from third to second and from an unclassified to third classes respectively.
According to the monarchs, with their new statues as 2nd and 3rd class royals, fathers, there morales are now boosted to render more sacrificial leaderships to their respective communities, saying the preceding administration have also commenced paying them according to their new statuses before handing over to his successor.
The paramount rulers described their upgrade as overdue, maintaining that for more than three decades and years they have been functioning in their former classification and unclassified stools.
The Agbura monarch, Daufa said,”for more than 30 years I’ve been on this throne.Initially unclassified, but as time went on I was later classified to third class. I thank God that former Governor Dickson kept to his campaign promises to us. Today I’ve been upgraded to second class, and who knows maybe someday I’ll become a first class traditional ruler. I give God all the glory.”
“Agbura plays host to some Government projects. There’s a low cost housing estate being built here that has not been completed, there’s a road linking here to Swali and other parts of Yenagoa that hasn’t also been completed. With this new status I shall continue to press on the Government and other well meaning individuals to bring more projects to this community.”
For his part, paramount ruler of Ekeki said the magnanimity of the out gone administration to the traditional institution in the state would not be forgotten in a hurry.
He emphasized that from time immemorial the monarchial stool of his community had remained unclassified, saying with this and every other privileges attached to his new nomenclature Ekeki community would be better off, just as he advised that successive administrations do upward review of chieftaincy stools in the state with a view to making the services of paramount rulers worthwhile.
In a related development, the Agbura monarch has commended the member representing Yenagoa Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Oforgi Oboku for constructing the paved road through his palace to other parts of the community.
King Daufa reiterated his commitment towards ensuring peaceful coexistence in the community, stating that with the road completed and other projects ongoing in the community there would be rapid transformation in the landscape of the area and prayed that God uplift the lawmaker in achieving more for the Epie-Atissa clans and other communities of the constituency.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

Niger Delta

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

Published

4 days 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

4 days 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

4 days 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.