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Wike, Nsirim, NGE, Others Mourn The Tide Editor

Published

5 years ago

August 25, 2021

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim has conveyed the condolences of the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to the management and staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation over the death of the Acting Editor (Daily) of The Tide, Mrs. Juliet Njiowhor, whose demise occurred, last Saturday.
Accompanied by principal officers of the ministry on a condolence visit to the corporation, yesterday, Nsirim described Mrs. Njiowhor’s death as a big blow to the ministry and the corporation.
“We have lost somebody whose sterling qualities as a professional stood her out both here and outside the state. For me, I have lost a friend. It is really heart-breaking,” he said.
The commissioner extolled the good qualities of Mrs. Njiowhor, adding that the event of her death should be a moment of sober reflection for the living.
“We should use the moment to reflect on our lives as individuals on the kind of legacy we leave behind.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that Julie put in her best as Editor of The Tide, I know some moments when I called her in the wee hours of the day, she was on production.
“Somebody who had a family and putting in her best for the newspaper thrice a week really speaks a lot about her sense of industry and commitment to serve Rivers State,” he said.
Nsirim, therefore, charged the editorial team of the corporation to ensure that her legacies of professionalism and hard work were built upon.
He commended the management for doing its best to keep the newspaper afloat within available resources.
He urged members of management to work collaboratively to maintain the brand image, brand identity and quality of The Tide which has stood out as the only surviving state-owned newspaper in the country.
Responding, the General Manager of the corporation, Chief Earnest Chinwo thanked the commissioner for the visit, and described the demise of Mrs. Njiowhor as a loss that was unexpected and devastating.
He, however, assured the commissioner that the management would do its best to maintain, if possible, surpass the standard the late Editor had set.
Similarly, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim has expressed shock over the sudden death of the Acting Editor of The Tide, Mrs. Juliet Njiowhor.
Nsirim, who led principal officers of the ministry on a condolence visit to the family residence in Port Harcourt, last Monday, described the demise of Mrs. Njiowhor as incomprehensible.
He described the deceased as a dependable ally and a good friend.
According to him, “Up till now, I cannot comprehend the fact that Julie is no more. In a situation like this, what do we do? We cannot question God.
“We have lost a very courageous and prolific writer. Julie was one of our best hands in the media industry here in Rivers State, even at the level of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. She stood out among the Committee of Editors across the comity,” he said.
The commissioner expressed the grief of the ministry, and thanked God that she left behind good character and professional competence that could be attested to by those she left behind.
He promised the ministry’s readiness to join hands with the family to ensure a befitting burial for the departed.
In his response, the widower of the deceased, Sir Promise Njiowhor thanked the commissioner for coming to identify with the family at their time of grief.
He described the death of his wife as a shock that came at the wrong time.
He said the family would establish a foundation in her name to mark the first anniversary of her death to immortalise her for the desire she had for the Journalism profession.
In the same token, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) expressed shock and disbelief over the death of the Editor of the Port Harcourt-based, The Tide Newspaper, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor.
Mrs Njiowhor died on Saturday after a brief illness.
A statement signed by the President of the Guild, Mustapha Isah, explained that Mrs Njiowhor “was a two-term Standing Committee Member representing the Eastern Zone.
“She was at the 2021 NGE Convention in Kano where she contested for the position of Treasurer.
“Mrs Njiowhor’s death has robbed the Guild of a committed member who never missed any of its events since joining the organisation.
“Her death came shortly after that of our former Deputy President, Elder Esinjo Oqua Itu, in Calabar.
“The Guild takes solace in the fact that Mrs Njiowhor served humanity with diligence in her sojourn here on Earth.
“We extend our condolences to her husband and children as well as the management and staff of The Tide Newspaper and the people and Government of Rivers State.
“May her soul rest in the bosom of the Lord.
“A condolence register has been opened at the Editors’ House, No 24, Mojidi Street, Ikeja for Mrs Njiowhor,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the management and staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of The Tide Newspapers, have been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of Mrs Juliet Njiowhor.
Mrs Njiowhor was before her death, which occurred on Saturday, August 21, 2021, the Editor of The Tide Newspapers.
It would be recalled that before her appointment last year as the Acting Editor of The Tide, Njiowhor was Director, Publications of the corporation.
She had earlier served as Woman Editor and Midweek Editor of the newspaper.
At the union level, the deceased also served as a former chairman of The Tide Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), an active member of the Rivers State Council of the union, member of the Nigerian Guild of Editor (NGE), and a strong member of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Meanwhile, the management of the Rivers State Newspapers Corporation has described the death of the Acting Editor of The Tide Newspaper, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor, as a big shock.
The General Manager of the corporation, Chief Ernest Chinwo said this when he led other members of management and executive of the three industrial unions in the corporation on a condolence visit to her family in Port Harcourt.
Chinwo said the entire staff was shocked by the incident, adding that the vacuum created by the sudden demise of the late Editor will be difficult to fill.
The general manager, however, urged the husband, Sir Promise Njiowhor, not to allow the sudden death of his wife to affect the family.
He urged him to play the role as a father by handling the situation as a man and head of the family in this fragile situation.
Responding, Sir Promise Njiowhor thanked the management for the visit, adding that the death of his wife has dealt a devastating blow to the family.
He also said the family was considering burying the deceased this weekend, but added that details of the burial would be made public soon.
However, The Tide Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said that the death of Mrs Juliet Njiowhor came as a rude shock to The Tide NUJ family.
A statement by Chairman of the chapel, Akujobi Amadi, said their departed colleague was a mother to all.
“She was a mother to all of us and will be missed by all.
“Very caring, loving and supportive, she was a source of strength in the union,” he added.

By: John Bibor & Kevin Nengia

Featured

Fubara Dissolves Rivers Executive Council

Published

2 weeks ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”

Featured

INEC Proposes N873.78bn For 2027 Elections, N171bn For 2026 Operations

Published

2 weeks ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.

An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.

The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.

“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”

On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”

The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.

He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.

Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.

Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.

He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.

He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.

In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.

The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.

The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.

He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.

“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.

The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.

Featured

Tinubu Mourns Literary Icon, Biodun Jeyifo

Published

2 weeks ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.

Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.

In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.

He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.

Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.

According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.

He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.

Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.

“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.

“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”

Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.