Niger Delta

Ex-Milad Declares Bayelsa Second Home At 70

Published

1 year ago

December 9, 2024

Former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Navy Captain Caleb Omoniyi Olubolade (rtd) has declared the state as his second home, describing it as a land of hospitality and divine blessings.
Captain Olubolade, who made the declaration at a state dinner to mark his 70th birthday at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, said the story of his life would not be complete without a copious mention of Bayelsa State.
The Ekiti-born retired naval officer described his appointment as military administrator and subsequent posting to Bayelsa as divine.
According to him, he was guided by integrity, selflessness and passion to develop the state to record his achievements within one year, stressing that without serving Bayelsa he would not have been appointed as Minister of Federal Capital Territory and Police Affairs by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Expressing gratitude to the government and people of the state for the honour done him, Olubolade called on Bayelsans to be united and always support government to build the state.
“Every position I have ever held in life, I never dream of it including my appointment and posting to Bayelsa as a military administrator. I was in the shop when they called me.
“But one thing I do is that I give my best to every position given to me. I don’t think of the gain, but just the best I can give. That was exactly what I did when I was brought here as an administrator.
“I was guided by some personal principles, and particularly what my wife told me: ‘Don’t steal the people’s money; If you don’t steal the people’s money, you will have progress and peace of mind. You can walk with your shoulders high any day, anytime.
“Bayelsa will remain my home because without Bayelsa I don’t think I would have been appointed as a minister twice. Little did I know that some day a son of Bayelsa State would become a President and appoint me as a Minister”, he said.
In his remarks, the Acting Governor of the state, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, noted that Bayelsa would continue to appreciate the former military administrator for laying the developmental foundation for successive administrations to build upon in the state.
He stated that Olubolade saw Bayelsa as his own state and did a lot within the space of one year in tackling the seemingly daunting challenges of governance and development at the time he superintendented over the state.
Describing Olubolade as a Bayelsa citizen, Senator Ewhrudjakpo said Bayelsans owe him a lot of gratitude for his worthwhile contributions to the development of the state and bringing the celebration of his 70th birthday to his adopted home.
He said: “I want to commend you for your courage. The foundation you laid is what all the successive administrations have been building upon.
“Much of the foundation from which Bayelsa had grown was laid by your military administration. The first commissioner for lands has just told us that the survey of the now dualised Yenagoa -Mbiama Road was done while you were in office.
“So we owe you a lot of gratitude. They say your first state is Ekiti. But you have decided to celebrate your birthday here in Bayelsa State. We don’t take it as light honour. It is a major honour to us. And not just any birthday, but your 70th birthday which is a major milestone”.
“He is a man of destiny. He is a man that rose to be a federal minister in two ministries – FCT and Police Affairs. That is a man of destiny. Three key, identifiable appointments at state and federal levels, and he did not disappoint”, he said.

On his part, Chairman of the occasion and the Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, said Navy Captain Olubolade did a great job in Bayelsa as one of its pioneer military administrators and had continued to identify with the state long after his service years.

Some dignitaries who served under Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, including the then Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Chief Ayebaesin Dienagha, and his Agriculture counterpart, Prof. Sinikiem Steve Azaiki, also paid glowing tributes to the celebrant.

The ceremony had in attendance wife of the celebrant, Mopelola Olubolade; General Overseer of the Royal House of Grace International Church, Apostle Zilly Aggrey; the pioneer Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Joshua Igbugburu; Dr. Josephine Igodo, serving and former House of Assembly Members, Commissioners, and other top government functionaries.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

C’River Bans VIOs From Road Operations

Published

4 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has banned the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from road operations across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Out, who made the announcement in Calabar on Saturday, restricted activities of the VIO to office duties.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, the directive followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over high tickets, excessive fines and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.

The Governor, who made other announcements in the sector, said the measures were approved after a meeting with key transport stakeholders.

According to the statement, other announcements made was the reduction of daily ticket fee from N850 to N500, while the penalty for failure to purchase the ticket had also been reduced to N10,000.

“All traffic-related fines be slashed by 50 per cent and must be paid only into designated Cross River State Government accounts.

“Daily ticket for tricycle riders have been reduced from N1,200 to N500. However, every activity of commercial tricycle operators ends at 6 p.m. daily, night operations are permanently banned,” Otu asserted.

He said the review was aimed to ease the burden on drivers and restore order in the state’s transport system.

Speaking further, the Governor said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) would now focus on vehicle registration and sale of tickets at approved rates.

He noted that enforcement officers must operate only in proper uniforms and with verifiable identification.

He directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its activities to statutory traffic management duties.

In addition, the Governor announced that “commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders will no longer purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

“These directives will take effect from March 9, and I urge all residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.”

Speaking to The Tide’s source, some commercial drivers said the statement did not address some activities of TRAMRA such as the illegal “no parking order” for drivers who only pick and drop passengers.

For Johnson Ade, a commercial driver, there should be an official release stating the traffic infractions in the state and the fine for each of them.

He said slashing the fines by 50 per cent was ambiguous, adding that the amounts to be paid for each crime should be clearly stated to prevent criminal elements who posed as government traffic regulatory officials from abusing the directive.

On his part, Mr. Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said they would convene a meeting immediately to critically look at the governor’s statement.

It would be recalled that series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators had led to the suspension of all forms of transport tickets in the state by the government.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Community Seeks Govt Recognition For Elected Village Head

Published

4 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Some indigenes of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, in Ikpe Annang Clan, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have called on the State Government to recognize Chief Samuel James Udo as the authentic Village Head of the community by according him a Certificate of Recognition.

According to them, the call is necessitated by the fact that Chief Udo has won the first and second election processes on 1st May, 2021 and 15th July 2025.

The indigenes said in addition to his emergence after the two election processes, Chief Udo’s emergence has been confirmed by Chief Akpan Akpa Inyang (Okuku Ikpa Isong Annang), who has handed him (Udo) to “UDAK” as stipulated by the custom and tradition of Annang Land.

They said Udo’s emergence marked the end of every struggle by individuals or groups of persons on the issue of headship of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, Ikpe Annang Land, in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

According to them, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Frank Archibong, should call for the recognition of the Village Head-elect of Mbiabong Ikpe Village in accordance with the Traditional Rulers Council Law of Akwa Ibom State, CAP 134.

This, they said, is because he has been duly and rightly selected by the kingmakers as the village Head-elect and have satisfied all requirements in the extant law for the said selection.

“We are informing the Akwa Ibom State Government of the development, because any imposition of any other name to the Governor will not be accepted by the community”, they said.

Meanwhile, they have alleged that some “enemies of progress are causing problem over the Chieftaincy issue after the winner has emerged and accepted by the entire Kingmakers.”

When contacted the Village Head-elect, Chief Samuel James Udo, advised the people not to cause any crises, saying that their mandate will not be denied.

“I will continue to respect the law. My people are law abiding citizens and God will surely stand for true justice and the certificate will be given to me, not through fighting, causing unrest, or violence, but by our faith in God, and the belief that the relevant authorities will do the needful”, he said.

By: Christopher Tom, Uyo

Niger Delta

Delta Unveils World Book Day Festival

Published

4 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State government on Saturday unveiled the LightRay! Distortion World Book Day Festival.

The festival, themed “That Which Bends, Transcends,” is a major celebration of literature, storytelling, and cultural advocacy in the state.

It was unveiled at the office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Mininim Oseji, in Asaba.

The event was organised by LightRay! Media, in partnership with the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) and Unchained Vibes Africa.

Founder and President of the media group, Ejiro Umukoro, described the event as the first large-scale literary festival in the state.

She explained that the initiative aims to engage both marginalised and privileged communities in dialogue on resilience, hope, and social change through literature.

Highlighting the transformative power of storytelling, Umukoro said literature can inspire action, reshape perspectives, and drive social change within communities.

According to her, the festival builds on the impact of the Distortion novel series produced by LightRay! Media, which explores themes of human resilience, personal agency, and renewal.

She noted that the book has supported social awareness campaigns and legislative advocacy, contributing to the abolition of the Osu caste system in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.

“The novel has also received literary recognition, including the TYB Young Adult Literature Prize in 2024,” she added.

Umukoro further revealed that the Delta Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has approved Distortion as a recommended literature text for students.

She expressed concern over the poor condition of public libraries across the state, noting that many remain inactive or non-functional.

”Urban libraries also struggle with outdated collections, inadequate infrastructure, and limited professional staffing”, she said.

Umukoro urged stakeholders to rebuild libraries, strengthen reading communities, and equip facilities with modern learning resources.

“The three-month festival will feature competitions, workshops, creative showcases, and professional development programmes, Umukoro said.

The Permanent Secretary in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Wilson Chukwuka, commended the initiative.

The leader of the National Association of Seadogs, Mr. Michael Nwaidei, said the project aligns with efforts to encourage critical thinking and knowledge acquisition among young people.

Nwaidei was represented by a member of the association, Mr. Uche Egbuche.

The Tide’s source reports that guests, educators, creatives, and literary enthusiasts from across the state and diaspora communities attended the festival.