Rivers
MOSIEND Hails Whyte’s Appointment As Commissioner …Urges IYC To Apologise To Lokpobiri
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), has congratulated Dr. Roland Obed Whyte on his appointment as commissioner and member of the Rivers State Executive Council.
MOSIEND described Whyte as a dedicated statesman and expressed confidence that his tenure will bring significant positive changes to the development of Rivers State.
MOSIEND, in a statement by its National President, Amb. Kennedy Tonjo West, said, “Your unwavering
commitments to the progress of our people have always been evident, and this new role is a testament to your hard work and integrity.
“We are confident that your tenure will bring significant positive changes and will contribute immensely to the development of Rivers State.
“As you step into this important position, please know that MOSIEND stands with you in your efforts to advance the cause of good governance and uplift the lives of our people
“We look forward to collaborating with you to achieve our shared goals and aspirations for the Niger Delta region.”
Meanwhile, MOSIEND has urged the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to tender an unreserved apology to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, for what it described as an unwarranted attack on his personality.
IYC had recently called on President Bola Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet and move Lokpobiri to another office where his incompetence will not be noticed, alleging that the Ministry of Petroleum is too big for him to handle.
IYC also blamed Lokpobiri for the current fuel crisis in the country and the delay in the kick-off of Port Harcourt Refinery, accusing him of mismanaging his office and causing untold pain and hardship on citizens
But MOSIEND, in a statement by its National President, Amb. West, picked offence on the attacks on Lokpobiri and asked the IYC to immediately withdraw the statement and beg the minister for forgiveness.
West urged those behind the publication to take a deep moment to ask themselves if those things said about Lokpobiri are actually true because it is unbelievable that an Ijaw man can say such things about his own brother.
He said, ordinarily, MOSIEND wouldn’t have commented on the issue, but that after deep thinking, it saw the need to caution those behind the publication as it doesn’t reflect the true position of things.
West said for the records, Lokpobiri is not responsible for the delay in the commencement of Port Harcourt refinery, noting that the ugly developments responsible for the delay were caused by the past administration which failed to do the right thing despite the billions of naira approved for the project.
He said that it is not fair for anybody, especially an Ijaw man, to blame Lokpobiri for the delay in the commencement of operations in Port Harcourt Refinery, because the problems were inherited.
According to him, “We actually didn’t want to get involved in what is happening between IYC and Lokpobiri, but we have seen that it is the displacement of aggression.
“We saw this hike in fuel coming, because of how reckless the former administration handled matters, and we saw how the issue of the Port Harcourt Refinery played out. It is not Lokpobiri’s fault.”
MOSIEND added, “We have also resolved as Ijaws not to run down our people in spite of the misgivings against any public office holder, come to talk of it, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri is not the substantive minister of Petroleum Resources.
“Secondly, the refinery is not in his purview but NNPCL, so why would one try to rubbish him, and to what gain?
“It is regrettable, and shameful that our people could condescend so low to ask for replacement of somebody who is working round the clock to bring Mr. President’s mandate to fruition in spite of the hopeless situation inherited.
“It is also regrettable that of all people, it is his people that are behind the attacks, and not only that, it is coming from a respected institution like the IYC.
“We are asking that they render an unreserved apology to the Hon Minister.”
MOSIEND, however, called on the Minister to take an appraisal of his disposition towards his people and the Niger Deltans if it is one that deserves commendation or outright disapproval, hence warranting such lash out from his kinsmen.
Chinedu Wosu
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The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charged matriculating students to live a life devoid of examination malpractices and other social Vices in order to take their studies seriously.
The VC, who gave the charge during the 17th matriculation ceremony on Saturday, encouraged the matriculant to form study groups, learn together, and explain critical topics to one another for better understanding.
”One way to study seriously is to learn together, form study groups, and explain things to each other, explain the subject matter to each other.
“I know that from experience, some students learn faster from their fellow students”, he stated.
The Vice Chancellor further adviced the matriculating students to make maximum use of the new library in the school to develop their skills and knowledge on different areas of research.
He noted that the total applications for admission received for regular students were 16, 237, while the total number of registered regular students were 8,248.
“For part time students, he said, total applications received were 1, 733 and total number of candidates admitted were 1,321, and 800 were cleared, while a total number of registered Part time student’s (matriculated) were 383.
“Total applications received from the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) was 220, while number of registered students from the IDL are 104”, he explained.
The VC, mentioned that the Institution has seven (7) Faculties namely , Faculties of Administration and Management Sciences, Agriculture, Education, Humanities, Natural and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences and Vocational and Technical Education.
The Faculty of Administration and Management Sciences has eight (8) Departments namely Accounting, Banking and Finance, Marketing, Management, Office and Information Management, Entrepreneurship, Employment and Human Resource Management and Hospitality and Tourism Management.
‘The Faculty of Agriculture has six (6) Departments namely Agriculture Economics and Extension, Animal Science, Crop Science, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Soil Science and Forestry Wild Life.
‘The Faculty of Education on the other hand has thirteen (13) Departments namely Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, Educational Foundation, Educational Management, Educational Curriculum, Educational Technology, Adult Education, Special Education, Primary/Early Childhood Education, Business Education, Social Science Education, Human Kinetics and Sports Science and Health and Safety Education.
He stated further that the Faculty of Humanities has eleven (11) Departments namely, English and Literary Studies, Fine and Applied Arts, Foreign Languages and International Studies, Theatre and Film Studies, History and Diplomatic Studies, Music, Religious and Cultural Studies, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mass Communication, Linguistics and Philosophy.
The Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences has thirteen (13) Departments namely Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Integrated Science, Geophysics, Industrial Chemistry, Software Engineering, Statistics, Micro Biology, Zoology and Information Technology.
He said that the Faculty of Social Sciences equally has nine (9) Departments namely; Economics, Geography, Political Science, Sociology/Social Studies, Social Works, Petroleum Economics and Policy Studies, Public Administration, Library and Information Science and Environmental Management.
According to him, the university which was established in June 13, 1971 as an Advanced Teachers Training College (ATTC) noting that the institution attained the University status in October 2009.
He, however, urged parents and guardians to support their children and wards by paying their school charges promptly, and endeavour to always monitor the academic performance of their children and wards.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
The convener of the Fasthire CareerFest 2026, Richard Okiasi, has called on Nigerian youths to transcend local limitations and harness skills, visibility and innovation to thrive globally.
Okiasi made the call on Saturday during a career development and job creation event in Port Harcourt.
The event, held at the Celebr8 Event Center, Olu Obasanjo Road, attracted 944 participants, including 131 Corps members, five career coaches, aspiring entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts and career builders under the theme, “Borderless – Empowering Talents to Compete, Create, and Collaborate Globally.”
The visionary lead of Fasthire said in a world where borders are increasingly irrelevant for ambitious professionals, it is important for young talents to transcend local limitations and harness skills necessary to compete and thrive globally.
“If you want to provide value globally, start locally, don’t be idle while dreaming of Apple,” he advised.
Okiasi said the Fasthire CareerFest 2026 was organised with a view to equiping the youth with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries.
“Our goal is to equip the next generation with the mindset and tools to compete, create, and collaborate without boundaries,” he said.
He emphasized how the festival bridged the gap between Nigerian potential and international opportunities.
The event featured a stellar lineup of resource persons, each bringing decades of expertise to inspire and educate.
Keynote speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Africa Technologies, Ajah Excel, delivered a compelling presentation on “Building Careers and Businesses Without Borders.”
Excel, who is also the convener of SMfest, and founder of the World Scholarship Forum, stressed the importance of proactive positioning.
“You must be willing to step out and meet opportunities,” he told the participants at the event.
He stated that ideas travel freely without visas, urging participants to let their names precede their passports through online visibility.
Excel said the youth could relocate financially without physical relocation by building bridges early and positioning as a global entity from the start.
The Managing Director of Xavina Consulting Limited, Catherine Kadiri, who delivered a lecture on “Building the Mindset to Create, Compete, and Collaborate on the Global Stage”, advocated intentional actions and curiosity as the foundation of creativity.
“You can never be fully ready, start before you are ready,” she advised.
Kadiri urged attendees to build connections with cultural intelligence, humility, and align applications with genuine skills and embrace slow but intentional growth.
The recruitment section had Airtel Nigeria, Xavina Consult, Elasot, Toppearl, Vodina West, and Aidela Africa in attendance.
The festival’s interactive depth shone through two panel sessions, fostering dialogue on practical strategies for borderless success.
The first panel session touched on “Positioning for Global Opportunities”, featuring the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aidela Africa, Atat Charles, as lead discussant, and Group Managing Director/CEO of Arrowconn Group, High Chief Emeka Ezekwe, as co-discussant.
While Charles warned of the power of social media and advised meticulous profile management, Ezekwe defined strategic positioning as “deliberate engineering of relevance,” cautioning that opportunities often appear disguised.
“What you post can build you up or pull you down,” Charles warned.
“Your certificate is just paper, skills and know-how differentiate you,” Ezekwe said.
The second panel session, which centered on “Work Smarter, Not Harder – Using AI Tools to Thrive in a Borderless Workplace”, explored AI’s role in enhancing productivity and global competitiveness.
Founder and Lead Consultant at Marach Consul Limited, Amarachi Stanley-Duru, who led the panel discussion, encouraged maximizing current opportunities through foundational skills.
“Learn and leverage AI to remain relevant,” she urged.
The Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Money University (KMU), Mr. Emeka Nobis, who delivered a paper on “From Skill to Income: Turning What You Know into Value”, advised identifying God-given gifts and translating them into buyable services.
“Start with what you have, where you are, and your unique story,” he advised.
The National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) management to fund multilingual personnel to tackle language barriers at border posts, particularly among traders in the ECOWAS corridor and other frontiers.
Stakeholders, during a meeting held on Wednesday in Badagry, Lagos, also hailed the economic port regulator as Africa’s top Shippers’ Council, citing its sustainable facilities across the region.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Salami Nasiru Alasoadua, Special Adviser to NACCIMA’s National President and a stalwart of the West Africa Road Transport Union (WARTU), noted that language remains a major barrier for cross-border traders.
He added that the NSC has the capacity to address this if it funds personnel fluent in multiple languages.
Alasoadua stressed the need for the council to hire staff who can speak Yoruba, Hausa, French, and Fulani effectively to resolve these challenges.
Apparently determined to assist in tackling this deficiency, the trader explained that cross-border traders are eager to engage NSC officials at border posts, but many businessmen and women cannot speak English fluently, creating a significant obstacle to getting things done.
Cross section of Stakeholders and staff of NSC at the meeting held in Badagry Lagos on Wednesday
Alasoadua, who also serves as Vice President of the West Africa Cross Traders and Managing Director of Alsana Global Ventures, commended the council for sustaining its officers at Nigeria’s border posts., while adding that funding multilingual personnel would boost trade across international frontiers.
He lamented that most traders lack awareness of Border Information Centre (BIC) requirements.
According to him, “For the council to maintain its relevance in the borderless alliance, I want to thank the Nigerian Shippers’ Councilit’s number one across Africa, from East to North and West Africa.
“None of the other Shippers’ Councils have working border officers except Nigeria’s; most have been abandoned.”But the NSC needs to source funds.
“If you have a BIC at Seme border post and the manager cannot speak French, English, Egun, Fulani, or Yoruba, it’s a problem.”We need to resolve the challenges facing SMEs, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has a critical role to play,” he added.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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