Rivers
Nsirim Assures CAFFAN Of RSG’s Support
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has assured members of the Catfish and Allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN), Rivers State Chapter, of the support and assistance of the Rivers State Government to boost fish production.
Nsirim, who gave the assurance during the 2021 CAFFAN capacity building and award ceremony in Port Harcourt, last Thursday encouraged the youths to channel their energy towards sustainable wealth creation, and take advantage of the goodwill of CAFFAN to build their capacity since the era of white collar job was over.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Barrister Ibiwari Clapton-Ogolo urged the association to start a Young Fishers Club in secondary schools so as to build the students’ interest and passion in fish farming for the next generation.
He also commended CAFFAN for taking advantage of the people-oriented projects of the Governor Nyesom Wike administration; especially in the areas of good road networks and adequate security which he said have enabled the fish business to be moved at a minimum cost within the State.
In his keynote address, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol urged the 100 youths who are beneficiaries of the mentorship and youth empowerment programme of the association to develop their capacity and target towards exporting fishes and generating employment opportunities for others.
Kpakol, who was represented at the event, discouraged the use of anti-biotics for fish production because of the adverse effects on human health.
Also speaking, the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Abiante Awaji-Inombek commended members of CAFFAN for their determination to increase the production of fishes considering the shortfall compared to the consumption rate required in the nation.
In encouraging the association in the state, the lawmaker said he is presently pursuing the establishment of the Federal Institute of Fisheries in the Niger Delta.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of CAFFAN in Rivers State, Elder Clapton Ogolo noted the determination of the association in partnering with local government councils and other organisations to ensure that Agriculture is made a true business opportunity, employment and economic development as a means of maintaining a sustained food security in the state.
On his part, the Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Rt. Hon Enyiada Clifford Cookeygam, while speaking on behalf of council chairmen in the state, commended the association for running with the vision of Governor Nyesom Wike in wealth creation and human capital development, stressing that the relevance of his local government cannot be over-emphasised, as it was one of the largest exporters of palm produce and fishes before the deviation to crude oil.
He also applauded CAFFAN for its willingness to train and equip 20 youths in each of the 23 local government areas of the state.
Those honoured for their contributions towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2, which focuses explicitly on food by seeking to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition as well as promote sustainable agriculture included Senator George Thompson Sekibo, the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District at the National Assembly; the Interim Administrator/Chief Executive Officer of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Effiong Akwa; Dr Abiante Awaji-Inombek; and Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol.
Dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Director of Agriculture in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture; Representative of the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture; Representative of the State Commissioner for Youth, Dr Nene Jamabo; Head of the Fisheries Department of University of Port Harcourt, Prof I. D. George; and former Head of Fisheries Department, Rivers State University, Dr (Mrs) Blessing Daniel-Kalio; among others.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will inaugurate its newly elected National Exexutive, led by President-elect Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, during its 2026 Annual General Conference scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between August 21 and 28.
Badejo-Okusanya emerged winner of the association’s Presidential election conducted through electronic voting, polling 12,317 votes to defeat her two male challengers and become the 33rd President of the NBA.
According to the final results released by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) secured 47.18 per cent of the 26,106 valid votes cast in the election.
Her closest rival, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe (SAN), garnered 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 per cent, while Olumu Akinboro (SAN) polled 5,855 votes, or 22.43 per cent.
Her election is historic, as she becomes only the second woman to lead the NBA in its 66-year history, following Priscilla Kuye, who served as the association’s first female president between 1991 and 1992.
The inauguration of Badejo-Okusanya and other newly elected national officers will be one of the major highlights of this year’s Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, which is expected to attract thousands of lawyers, judges, legal scholars and policymakers from across Nigeria and beyond.
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002, Badejo-Okusanya studied Law at the University of Lagos after earning a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in English from the same institution.
She began her legal career at Olaniwun Ajayi LP and, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to legal practice, was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on September 29, 2025.
Her career has combined legal practice with public service. In 2007, she was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform to the then Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, working in the office of the then Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore.
She is a respected arbitration and dispute resolution expert and belongs to several prestigious professional bodies, including the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), African Arbitration Association, ArbitralWomen, International Bar Association (IBA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA). She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.
Within the NBA, Badejo-Okusanya has held several strategic leadership positions, including Assistant Secretary of the NBA Lagos Branch, member of the Future of the Legal Profession Committee, Conference Investigation Committee, and the NBA Lagos Branch Building Committee.
She also served as Alternate Chair of the 2023 NBA Annual General Conference Planning Committee before chairing the committee for the 2024 conference.
In 2022, she was co-opted into the NBA National Executive Council and, in August 2024, received the NBA Presidential Medal of Service in recognition of her contributions to the association.
A founding partner of Africa Law Practice NG & Company since 2017, Badejo-Okusanya currently co-heads the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. The firm is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms, with affiliations across Africa.
Her emergence has raised expectations that her administration will prioritise lawyers’ welfare, institutional reforms and a more inclusive Bar, in line with her campaign promise to build “a bolder Bar that works for everyone” where lawyers can earn better, live better and practise better.
The Commander of Nigerian Naval Shipyard Pathfinder, Commodore Mutalib Ibikunle Raji, has described the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as a critical pillar of national unity and sustainable development, while reaffirming the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to deepening its long-standing partnership with the scheme in Rivers State.
Raji made the remarks when he received the NYSC Rivers State Coordinator, Moses Oleghe, on a courtesy visit to his office at the Naval Shipyard in Port Harcourt.
The naval chief praised the 56-year-old NYSC scheme for its strategic role in nation-building, saying it has remained a “bedrock of national unity and sustainable development” since its establishment.
He also commended the cordial relationship between the NYSC and the Nigerian Naval Shipyard, describing the synergy between both institutions as “very healthy and mutually beneficial.”
According to him, the partnership has continued to yield positive results, particularly in service delivery by corps members posted to the Shipyard.
Raji assured the NYSC management in the state of his readiness to support the successful implementation of the scheme’s programmes and activities, noting that closer collaboration between the two institutions would further strengthen their bond.
“My administration remains available and committed to supporting the NYSC in the successful implementation of its programmes and activities in the state”, he said.
He appreciated the quality of service rendered by corps members serving at the Shipyard and pledged that their welfare would remain a top priority under his leadership.
“We will continue to prioritise the welfare of corps members in order to encourage and motivate them for optimum performance”, he Commander added.
Earlier, Oleghe said the visit was aimed at formally interfacing with the Commander, familiarising with him and welcoming him to Rivers State following his recent appointment.
He noted that the relationship between the NYSC and the Nigerian Naval Shipyard had remained strong over the years and called for its sustenance.
The State Coordinator thanked the Commander for his assurances of support and stressed the importance of strategic stakeholders such as the Nigerian Navy in ensuring the security and welfare of corps members.
Oleghe added that the support of the Navy would provide corps members with the enabling environment required to serve the nation effectively and without hindrance.
The visit, both officials agreed, underscored the shared commitment of the NYSC and the Nigerian Navy to national integration, youth development and the continued strengthening of institutional collaboration in Rivers State.
The Opobo Council of Alapu (Chiefs) has announced that Opobo Kingdom will officially crown His Majesty, King Charles Douglas MacPepple Jaja, Jeki VI, as the Amanyanabo and Treaty King of Opobo Kingdom on September 26, 2026, marking the beginning of a new era in the historic riverine kingdom.
The coronation, which forms the highlight of a week-long programme of activities scheduled to hold from September 18 to 27, 2026, is expected to attract traditional rulers, government officials, captains of industry, members of the diplomatic community, sons and daughters of Opobo Kingdom, and guests from across Nigeria and beyond.
In a statement issued by the Chief of Protocol and Public Relations of the Opobo Council of Alapu, Alabo Godwin Omoni Nengia Bupo, Abayebupo Duke Norfolk III, the Council described the event as a defining moment in the history of the kingdom.
Founded in 1870 by the legendary merchant prince, King Jaja of Opobo, and his compatriots, Opobo Kingdom has remained one of the Niger Delta’s most celebrated traditional institutions, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, maritime trading history, diplomatic influence and resilience.
According to the Council, the ascension of King Charles Douglas MacPepple Jaja, Jeki VI, as the sixth monarch in the Jeki lineage signals the dawn of a new chapter that will build on the kingdom’s enduring legacy while promoting unity, cultural preservation and sustainable socio-economic development.
The statement noted that the coronation would be “more than the crowning of a king,” describing it as a celebration of the kingdom’s resilience, identity, ancestry and enduring traditions.
“This historic coronation is not merely the crowning of a king, but a celebration of our resilience, our identity, our ancestry and our enduring heritage”, the statement said.
The Council added that a comprehensive programme of cultural, spiritual and ceremonial activities have been lined up across the kingdom to commemorate the historic occasion, culminating in the official coronation on September 26.
It called on friends of Opobo Kingdom, cultural enthusiasts and well-wishers from around the world to join in celebrating what it described as a landmark event in the history of one of Nigeria’s oldest and most respected traditional kingdoms.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso