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Train Children For Better Society, Justice Nyesom-Wike Tells Parents
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Hon. Justice Suzzette Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, has charged parents to make their homes virile platforms that mould the right attitude in their children.
Such right attitude, she noted, are built upon tenable values and manners, which structure their personality type so that they can influence situations and other people positively as they contribute their quota to make society better.
Justice Nyesom-Wike gave the charge, last Sunday, when she visited the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) to felicitate with the baby boy born on Christmas day.
The baby boy, delivered at 9.30am, is born to the family of Dr. and Mrs Sotonye Asikimabo-ofori, who hail from Okrika.
She also shared gifts to other children and parents in the medical ward that was visited.
The wife of the governor said the home was the first social platform available to every child.
She urged parents to deliberately nurture their children to become self-respecting, considerate of others and well mannered.
“Parents are every child’s first teachers. You don’t need to be an educated parent to pass on worthy values.
“You just need to have a mind to impart. Be conscientious, be sensitive. Be somebody that thinks about others. Teaching and learning good manners is very easy.
“Children draw their strength from their parents. They learn values, and manners from home. So, we learn how to relate with people.
“Home is the first social platform every child has. It will teach you how to talk to people.”
Speaking further, Justice Nyesom-Wike harped on the need for everybody to ensure that they are learning what would help them in their personal life, which would better the larger society.
She pointed out that, often, people missed the opportunity to learn moral, and other social values in their various homes, but that should not mean they should become social misfits.
The wife of the governor said what such person should do was to be open minded so that he or she can learn good values from what was seen happening around and from other people.
“If you miss it (learning) there (home), you can always learn along the way. But home is where it starts.
“So, whatever you are not taught at home, as you go around and you meet other people, learn from them. Learning is a continuous thing. It never ends.
“Every day is new opportunity to learn something new. As far as you have breathe; you will learn something that is different every day.”
Justice Nyesom-Wike emphasised that, “We learn as we meet people, relate with other people. We learn new things and that should add to our character.All you need to do is put yourself in other person’s shoes.”
Speaking on Christmas, Justice Nyesom-Wike admonished Christians not to forget the essence of the season, which is Jesus Christ, given as gift to humanity to save it from sin.
She remarked that with Christmas, God has shown mercy on mankind by sending his only begotten Son to live and be killed by men in fulfilment of scriptures, so that the redemptive plan will be actualised.
“We should not forget the essence of Christmas. Yes, we celebrate it; we eat and drink but that is not the beginning and end of Christmas.
“The whole reason of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. That is because God chose to show us mercy, to salvage us by giving us his only Son on to come and live amongst men and be killed by men, to save us from sin. We should never forget that it is about salvation.”
In his remarks, Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron, who conducted the wife of the governor to the Christmas baby, thanked her for visiting to share in the joy of the parents and the hospital community.
He described the visit as an honour done to both the new born baby boy, the parents and the entire hospital community.
Aaron particularly noted that even if it is a traditional visit, Justice Nyesom-Wike offered a peculiar message on salvation, which is the essence of Christmas, and it serves to encourage everybody.
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.