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Tributes At Karibi-Whyte’s Service Of Songs He Made Rivers, Nation Proud -Banigo
The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Hary Banigo has joined other people of goodwill across the globe to bid the late Hon. Justice Adolphus Godwin Karibi-Whyte, farewell as the programme for his committal to mother earth begins.
In a statement in Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, Banigo said the late Justice Karibi Whyte made Rivers State and the country proud as a legal luminary of International repute and a Life Bencher.
Banigo said the late retired Supreme Court Judge would be remembered, amongst others, as the Judge of International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia at The Hague where he served meritoriously and was the chairman, Nigerian Constitutional Conference between 1994 and 1995.
She said by his demise, Rivers State, and indeed, the country have lost an illustrious son, and prayed the Almighty God to grant his soul eternal repose and give his immediate family the fortitude to bear this colossal loss.
Meanwhile, the family of late Supreme Court Justice, Adolphus Karibi-Whyte held a service of songs for him, yesterday, at the Church of Nativity, Parkview Estate, Lagos.
Friends and family members of the late jurist paid glowing tributes to him, acknowledging him as one of Nigeria’s most illustrious judicial officers.
In attendance at the event were late jurist’s children led by his son, Mr Dagogo Karibi-Whyte, notable lawyers and judges, including Chief Olakurin, SAN, Mr George Etomi, Chuka Agbu, SAN, and former NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN.
Speaking, the former Petroleum Minister, Mr Odein Ajumogobia, SAN, said “although most of his judgments were dissenting, Parliament changed the laws following his judgments, even when he dissents from the other six justices.
“He was a professor of law at the University of Lagos before going to the Bench and he was very Godly. He had an uncommon sense of humour. Factories that produced his types no longer exist.”
Also, former NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN: “You must be exceptional for Nigeria to recognise you. He was exceptional as a judge and as a professor of law. He made us feel proud.”
The NBA President, Mr Olumide Akpata said: “I consider myself privileged to have known Karibi-Whyte in his life, as I grew up with his children.”
His son-in-law, and former Attorney-General of Edo State, Chief Charles Edosonwan, SAN, in his tribute said: “It’s hard to deal with the loss of Justice Adolphous Godwin Karibi-Whyte for one wished he could have gone on living forever.
“However, life is such that none lives forever and like all mortals, he had to go one day, his day being 22nd May, 2020. He was 88 but his passing was still a blow.
“Married to Tonye, his dear darling daughter, just like all his children, I called him ‘dad’ to his face or ‘The Old Boy’ away from him.
“Larger than life that he was to the outside world, he wasn’t the big man at home but a taciturn soft spoken patriarch to his family members; dad to us his children and children in-law, and simply ‘Adol’ to mommy – Mrs Faith Karibi-Whyte nee Bob-Manuel.
“Many others within the family referred to him simply as ‘Uncle Adol’ which is far away from the formal Judge (Justice, Dr, Sir, Chief) Adolphous Karibi-Whyte JSC and many other epaulettes that announce him to the world as a man of global acclaim with uncommon achievements.
“His whole life in its history, taught so much lessons for children and mentees to draw from.
“For a husband, he sustained that relationship with mommy for sixty years without stress. Ask mommy and she would gladly tell you that she had a heavenly marriage in which no third party ever interfered or successfully intruded for all the sixty years they were married.
“He was inseparable from his wife and dotted on her to no end. They went everywhere together and did everything together.
“For a father, he was a complete one that was present in the lives of all his children including ones of the extended family regarding which he assumed paternal duties and care. He was kind and selfless in his provision of care to those that came to him in need”.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.