The Elebele Community Youth Movement (EYM) in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has applauded the Commander, 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yenagoa, Brigadier-General Oluremi Obolo, and the lawmaker representing Ogbia Constituency three in the State House of Assembly, Hon.Gabriel Michael Ogbara, for their support to the community’s youth body towards the building of a planned youth secretariat complex.
Youths President, Comrade Promise David Soso, gave the commendation recently while conducting newsmen round some donated materials and site for the proposed project.
He described the duo as great patrons to the youth body, noting that the youths were glad to be associated with them in their endeavours.
The community youth leader hinted that upon communicating plans to build the secretariat complex to the military Commander and the Assembly member, the duo graciously promised and donated blocks, cement and other materials needed for the project.
”We thank the Brigade Commander and Hon. Ogbara for the various roles they’ve continued to play in this community, especially their donations and promises of more support for the youths secretariat project.
“For the Brigade Commander, we honestly wish to say that the headquarters of 16th Brigade in this community has contributed majorly to the peace and tranquility in this area.
“Their donations and others expected would enable us commence the project seamlessly.
“The Brigade Commander and Hon. Ogbara are role models to the youths of this community. With these donations received and others expected, hopefully between now and first week of next month we’ll commence the secretariat project”, the youth leader said.
Meanwhile, the Elebele Community youths leadership has alleged that the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) which operate side by side in the area have neglected the community for far too long.
The youths said from the inception of operational activities of the oil majors the community has not derived any tangible gains from the vault of wealth the firms exploit from their community.
“This community haa not benefitted anything tangible from SPDC and NAOC. As we speak, NAOC has their manifold in this community, and as you’ll know, the SPDC has been operating here for decades now, but these two firms have not employed any single individual from this community.
“Worst of all is that even the electricity the SPDC use to give us too is now worst than epileptic.
“The facts are so glaring, and they amount to complete abuse of our rights as host community”, the youths said.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

The Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, says the desire to bequeath high quality university education to Nigerian children, running without interruption, led him to establish Igbinedion University, Okada in 1999.
He sated this in Okada, Edo State recently in his remark at the birthday lecture organised by the university to mark his 90th birthday.
The Benin high chief, who was represented by his son and former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, stated that the desire aligned with the need at the time.
According to him, uninterrupted university education was more desirable to accelerate the production of high level manpower required to galvanise the socio-political and economic development of a country.
Igbinedion, who is also the Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier private university, noted, however, that the occasion was not just a personal milestone but a testament to the collective efforts and achievements of the entire university community.
“This also aligns with the need at the time. Since inception, the university has continued to record remarkable successes in the areas of teaching and research, capacity building and innovation.
“The University has produced high quality graduates in different fields of human endeavours who are contributing their quota to national and global development”, he said.
Delivering the lecture, Dr. Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described Igbinedion, who is the Esama of Benin, as a great man of limitless and unfathomable girth.
The lecture was titled “Synoptic Narrative of a Legendary Entrepreneur”.
According to the guest lecturer, Chief Igbinedion’s trailblasing travels of his life do not bear any cares for the undaunting, but indeed the daunting paths.
“He is totally unafraid of any difficulties and does not succumb to them if they stand in the way of his objectives.
“For bravery and fearlessness, the Esama is overdosed where ordinary men would want to tread cautiously.
“To recount the story of the Esama, one must realise that indeed he grew and became one of the mightiest trees in the forest that once sprouted as a small shoot,” Uwensuyi-Edosomwan said.
Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, Vice Chancellor of the university, described the proprietor as a beacon of wisdom and a pillar of strength for the pursuit of academic excellence and societal progress in Nigeria.
Ezemonye noted that the lecture was not just a celebration of a milestone in years and commemoration of a legacy of Chief Igbinedion’s vision, but also marked the university’s 25 years of phenomenal existence.
“The significance of this year’s birthday lecture lies in the fact that it is happening at the same time that the university is celebrating its 25 years of phenomenal existence.
“Therefore, today’s lecture is not just a celebration of a milestone in years, but a commemoration of a legacy of leadership, vision, and dedication that has profoundly shaped our great university in the last 25 years.
“Our esteemed Honourable Chancellor has been more than a Chancellor to us, and has been a beacon of wisdom, a pillar of strength, and a guiding light in our shared pursuit of academic excellence and societal progress”, he said.

Paramount Ruler of Opolo Community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRH Eniya Moneyman Nengibo (Ogborogo Xii), has said he intends to focus on the peaceful coexistence of his community and provide annual scholarship support for indigenes in post primary and tertiary institutions.
Towards this end, the monarch said he has, upon his ascendancy to the throne, inaugurated a scholarship scheme with capable and unbiased individuals as management committee members.
The royal father stated this recently during a chat with newsmen in his palace, saying that scores of students from the community would benefit from the scheme once the management committee works out modalities for the selection and award processes to qualified students.
He also noted that while awarding scholarships to students from the community on yearly basis, his leadership would also partner the Bayelsa State Institute of Tourism Development and Hospitality, Yenagoa, in skills acquisition for interested members of the community.
The paramount ruler, who also bared his mind on the recent clashes between his community and other neighbouring communities, alleged that the crisis where fermented by the latter, calling on security formations in the state to apprehend the alleged murderers of a native of the community (name withheld).
He said: “On the day of my coronation, I launched a scholarship scheme and realised about N2m. I’ve set up a committee to manage the funds and work out modalities so that our students in both secondary schools and higher institutions can benefit from it.
“Under my leadership as paramount ruler, we’re going to ensure that more women also participate in politics and developmental processes of the community.
“I urge the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to fish out the killers of our son during the recent crisis between this community and Okutukutu/Etegwe communities.
“Opolo has been very peaceful, we’re not the ones who first attacked the Okutukutu people. They’ve been attacking and assaulting our people who go to struggle for their legitimate sources of income and livelihood in the forests and bushes belonging to our community for decades now”.
In the same vein, the Opolo royal father described as ‘less impactful’ some infrastructure projects executed in his community by previous administrations of the state.
He said prior to the building of the government-owned “Diete-Koki memorial hospital” in his community, there was a comprehensive health centre built by the community.
He, however, expressed regret that upon demolishing the previous health facility to make way for the building of the general hospital, indigenes of the community have been constantly denied employment opportunities in the health infrastructure.
He added: “Some of the Government-owned infrastructure projects in this community, though are good, but haven’t really impacted the community adequately.
“A situation where government estates in this community are sold to private individuals after acquisition of land from the community for these projects is also very unfair. By so doing, government has rendered these projects less impactful on the community”.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa