Rivers
Community Seeks Fubara’s Intervention In Chieftaincy Crisis …Declares Support For Regent
Chiefs, Opinion leaders, and Elders of Okwuzi community in Ogba Egbema Ndoni local Government Area are calling for the intervention of Governor Siminalaye Fubara following the crisis over the Oruamara Chieftaincy stool of the community.
They also declared their support for Eze Victor H. C. Afaka as the Eze Oruamara or Regent of Okwuzi community.
They said this at a media briefing in the community.
It would be recalled that Okwuzi for the past six years has been without a paramount ruler following the alleged incapacitation of Eze Chukwuma SDG Nwanoka.
According to the chiefs, elders, and opinion leaders of the community, the emergence of Eze Victor Afaka was a result of the incapacitation of Eze Nwanoka, who was paramount ruler of the community.
They also alleged of attempt by some persons to ursup the traditional rulership of Okwuzi, adding that this situation is causing crisis in the community.
According to them, the attention of Governor Siminalaye Fubara is needed urgently to save Okwuzi from plunging into crisis.
Speaking, Chairman of Nzeobi of Egbema Ancient Kingdom Area Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Kingsley Obiye, said the appointment of Eze Victor Afaka followed the customs, tradition, and constitution of Okwuzi Community.
Eze Obiye said Okwuzi does not operate an Hereditary system of rulership, neither does it operate a Prime Ministership system of traditional administration.
He said following the vacuum created by the incapacitation of Eze Chukwuma, the community appointed Eze Victor Afaka as the Regent of Okwuzi.
He, however, alleged that one Nelson Ekperi, a former personal Assistant to the incapacitated Eze, has been trying to ursup the rulership of the community, something that is against the custom and tradition of Okwuzi Community.
Also speaking, Chief Chuks Ajari of Ohu/Ebocha Community, Okwuzi, said Government attention is needed to save the community from impending crisis.
“Our community is heading down to crisis if the Governor fails to come and rescue his people, because this is one of the Communities he governs”, he stated.
He noted that for over six years the community has not set its eyes on their Eze: “we have not seen him, we do not know where he is.
“The community sat down and through our constitution appointed Victor Afaka as a Regent”.
He added that ascension to the throne of Eze Oruamara or paramount rulership of Okwuzi is never hereditary but through election or selection.
Chief Ajari urged Governor Fubara to call Mr Nelson Ekperi and others to order before they plung Okwuzi into crisis.
“We are calling on Governor Fubara to use his office to call them to order.
“The community has gotten a Regent and every chieftaincy apparatuses should be handed to Eze Afaka so that Okwuzi can be in peace”, Ajari stated.
“Also, the Youth President of the Community, Comrade Princewilll Ifeanyi, said the community has not set its eyes on the incapacitated Eze for over six years, neither was there any information about his whereabout.
He also called on the Government to call those trying to plung the community into crisis to order, adding that they should respect the laws, customs and traditions of the people.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.