Niger Delta

2023: Okowa Cautions Politicians Not To Heat Up Polity

Published

4 years ago

May 17, 2021

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa last Saturday cautioned politicians who are working to take over power from him in the state come 2023 not to heat up the polity.

He gave the caution while speaking at the empowerment of constituents of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency by their representative and Minority Leader of House of Representatives, Mr Ndudi Elumelu, in Asaba.

He said that his administration had been fair in the implementation of policies and programmes across the state and advocated a governor that would carry everyone along in the scheme of things.

According to Okowa, the collective interest of the people should be placed above self, irrespective of ambitions.”We are politicians and politics will have to be played.

“I can see that a lot has been on in our dear state, especially the scramble on who will replace Dr Ifeanyi Okowa come 2023.

“Unfortunately, some are not even patient. They started their campaigns in the first three months of my second term in office.

“I want to charge our leaders and people to be cautious because politics is such that if you don’t read it rightly, you will directly throw your people into fire.

“I am not all-knowing, but at the appropriate time, leaders must be ready to sit down for us to do a proper analysis politically, before we take decisions so that we will not lead our people into darkness.

“I want to caution our leaders who are jumping the ship because of the very little thing that has been provided for them.

“It is not about self, it is going to be about the people. “I am the governor of the state and I appreciate it. I believe in equity and will not shy away from the fact that I am from Delta North Senatorial District,” he said.

“By the grace of God, in our approach to governance, we have been fair in what we do.

“Shine your eyes so that people will not come to lure you with N500,000 and N1,000,000 and you sell the conscience of your people and you lure them into fire.

“I believe in equity; It has shown that we are not inferior in Delta North. Please let us stay cautious, especially, the leaders.

“Who ever is coming to rule this state, by the grace of God, must be somebody who is ready to ensure that there is fairness, equity and justice.

“We want somebody who will come to Asaba and see Asaba as his home and not somebody who will come and feel that Asaba as headquarters is misplaced.

“So, I urge our people that this is the time to stay together; this is the time to think alike and I want to reassure you that in the next one month, we will start the politics,” Okowa said.

On the meeting and resolutions of the Southern Governors Forum recently in Asaba, Okowa stated that they were for the good of the nation.

He said that anyone casting aspersion on the resolutions of the Forum toward a better Nigeria did not mean well for the nation.

The governor remarked that restructuring, ban on open grazing and other issues raised by the governors had been subjects of agitations aimed at pulling the country out of the present multiple challenges facing it.

He commended the Southern Governors for putting the interest of the nation above political affiliations, tribalism, religious inclinations and selfish interest.

Okowa thanked members of the National Assembly who responded appropriately in supporting the position of the Southern Governors’ Forum.

He said that the time was ripe for leaders and stakeholders from all parts of the country to endorse the communique issued by the Southern Governors as a road map for rebuilding a new Nigeria where all interest groups would be treated equally in the “Nigerian project”.

According to him, every elected representative has the right to speak up for the people and we, as governors, spoke because things were going on in the country contrary to expectations.

Niger Delta

Fouchee Celebrates Asari’s Recognition

Published

4 days ago

January 10, 2025

The Tide

The Amayanabo of Fouchee Community in Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, HRH. A.C.Blakk-Iwerima, says the recognition of Alabo, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo Asari as the Amayanabo of Torusarama Piri is the icing on the achievements of the Rivers State Governor in 2024.

HRH. Blakk-Iwerima, who was speaking recently to newsmen after the annual thanksgiving service of the Fouchee Community, said the recognition of Dokubo Asari was fit and proper and sounds like music in the ears of all people of Ifoko ancestry.

He commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialaye Joseph Fubara, for the recognition of Dokubo Asari, whose leadership role, he acknowledged, stands out.

He also commended the Governor for the many steps being taken to restore sanity in governance and dousing desperation through people-centered policies in the State.

According to him, “the Kings, Chiefs and people of Fouchee and Ifoko Communities in the Kalabari ethnic nationality are very proud of Alabo, Alhaji Dokubo Asari, whose links with Ifoko has been most rewarding”.

HRH. Blakk-Iwerima promised to give all the support needed to enable the team working on the Fouchee Atlantic Project to succeed, and expressed hope that the Rivers State Government would also give the needed backing.

He further called on Asari to use the recognition to strengthen the Kalabari Se Kobiri and bring all aggrieved persons and communities to see the need to work together.

Niger Delta

Kalabari Media Forum Hails Recognition Of Dokubo Asari As Amayanabo

Published

4 days ago

January 10, 2025

The Tide

The Kalabari Media Forum has endorsed the recognition of Alabo, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo Asari as the Amayanabo of Torusarama Piri and the historical relevance of the award.

A communique issued after the 2024 end of year summit of the Forum also commends the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminialaye Joseph Fubara for the recognition which they described as the best end of year gift to the Kalabari people.

The Communique signed by the Coordinator of the Forum, Alabo Dagogo Clinton and the Secretary, Mr. Harry Awolayeofori Macmorrison states that the gesture should make the Kalabari people to get back to the drawing board and consolidate on existing inter and intra communal peace within the region.

According to the statement, Torusarama Piri was the first place where the founding fathers of Kalabari converged from different cultures, tribes and backgrounds. Adding that those saying that the Kalabari people are not united should think again.

” As the different founding fathers were able to form a formidable ethnic nationality, modern day Kalabari should be able to sink the differences between the constituent communities and with other non-Kalabari speaking neighbours to achieve the needed internal cohesion for development”. It states.

The Forum further congratulated Alabo Asari Dokubo on his recognition and urged him to use the opportunity to do even more for the Kalabari people and Rivers State as a whole.

According to the statement, the Forum is happy with the recognition of Dokubo Asari not because he is one of the patrons of the Forum, but because he is about the most Kalabari-centric figure living, who has also committed enormous resources for the protection of the Kalabari people.

They urged the Kalabari Se Kobiri and the entire people of the ethnic nationality to work with Alabo Dokubo Asari and put to rest speculations about Kalabari that some persons have exploited against the interest of the Kalabari people over the years.

Niger Delta

We’re Upgrading Tourism Sites Across C’River – Otu

Published

4 days ago

January 10, 2025

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has said plans were underway to upgrade tourism sites across the state to meet international standards.

Speaking with newsmen in Calabar, Otu said this was to attract local and international tourists to the state.

He said the state was also working on creating the needed infrastructure to boost tourism in the areas of transportation and accommodation among others.

“We are currently training personnel within the state and outside the country to upgrade our tourism sites. We are partnering with investors to bring some of them to 21st century standard.

“Currently, we are trying to ensure our roads are taken care of. We are not waiting on the Federal Government again because it has become clear that priorities are too many, so, we have to help ourselves.

“We want to ensure people easily access those tourism sites with very little difficulty and we are looking at stabilising our product pricing by making sure transportation is improved. We will explore gas, electricity and train.

“We are going to improve aviation as well”, he said.

Speaking on the just-concluded Calabar Carnival, Otu commended the competing and non-competing bands for their remarkable imput which culminated to the success of the event.

He appreciated everyone who worked behind the scene in the nine months preparation period for the carnival.

According to him, with guidance from renowned professors, researchers, individual artistes and many more professionals, the carnival was improved on.

He said in view of the need to bring back the international carnival, the state would work on ensuring world-class accommodation facilities are put in place ahead of the next edition.

He noted that the state would have a post carnival review to assess the areas to be improved on and other programmes to introduce.

Otu said depending on the outcome of the review, the state would be considering establishing diaspora bands in 2025.

“International carnival is not scrapped, we are looking at the prospect of established diaspora bands in 2025. This time, we are going to have a post carnival review to put things right.

“We are aware that three to four months ahead of the Calabar Carnival, hotels were already fully booked. So, we are trying to make sure we do not only have enough hotels but also ensure they are upscaled to international standards.

“This is because next Calabar Carnival will be a bigger picture with our international carnival in place.

“We already have international hospitality facilities that are moving here, we have hotels that are almost completed which can compete with any hotel across the world”, he said.

Otu, expressed excitement over the exhilarating performance of physically challenged individuals in the carnival.

He said the possibility of having a dedicated carnival band for them in 2025 would be explored.

“We do not see them as being limited by whatever challenges they face. We are looking at some of the things they have put to us but there must be a policy.

“We are looking at setting up a proper structure in their favour. So, to encourage them on the carnival front, the chairman of the Carnival Commission will check if they actually need their own band”, he said.