Niger Delta
Jonathan, Ogbuku, Diri Preach Unity, Peace … As Bayelsa Clan Installs Monarch
Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, has said without unity and peace no community in the society can achieve any meaningful development.
He stated this at the coronation of a substantive king for the Emeyal Clan in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, King Wapaebiama David Amakiri, weekend.
Represented by a former Commissioner for Education in the State, Mr. Tobias James, Jonathan lauded the clan for their high sense of unity and love, noting that without love and peace the clan would not have been able to install a new monarch because progress would have been elusive.
The Tide learnt that Emeyal Clan is one of the four sister clans of the Ogbia Kingdom.
Jonathan advised the larger Ogbia Kingdom to learn to forgive one another and eschew rancour and acrimony, saying that the clan has once again demonstrated that with unity there is hardly any insurmountable obstacle and height in life.
“I want to thank the Emeyal Clan for their high sense of love, unity and commitment to progress and development. Without unity and love I believe this clan wouldn’t have been able to conduct an election which was regarded as very free, fair and peaceful which produced the monarch being installed here today.
“I also want to advise other clans and kingdoms in Nigeria to emulate the example of the Emeyal clan. I’ll also like to wish the new king well and success in his kingdom and reign. Emeyal clan has demonstrated to the world, especially the Niger Delta region, that indeed they’re a united, peace loving clan”, he said.
Presenting the staff of office, the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, cautioned against unlawful dethronement and acrimony, saying the Chieftaincy laws of the state were anti-illegal dethronement and unnecessary balkanization of kingdoms and communities.
Represented by the State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Thompson Amule, the State Chief Executive congratulated the new monarch, saying Government was willing to continue partnering and protecting the royal institutions, saying they are an integral fabric of peace and development in the society as well as institutions for cultural preservation.
“This coronation and presentation of Staff of office to the Obanobhan (King) of Emeyal Clan demonstrates our height of respect and synergy expected from both Government and the traditional institution.
“As you may know, our chieftaincy laws and other extant instruments in our state concerning installation of traditional rulers were against unlawful dethronement.
“I, therefore, urge the entire clan to cooperate for the unity, peace and progress of this kingdom. I want to congratulate the dynamic and peace loving people of this clan for their continued show of affection and love for each other and their resolve to forge ahead in togetherness and unity”, the Governor said.
Similarly, the Managing Director of the Niger Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, charged communities of the region to be more united in order to attract maximum benefits from the commission’s interventions, noting that without unity and peace there was nothing the agency could do in any disunited community or kingdom of the region.
He commended the Emeyal Clan and the people of Ogbia for disproving the alleged disunity in the kingdom.
“If anybody still believes that the Ogbia people weren’t united, I believe the crowd here, and the number of paramount rulers from various communities of the four different clans in this coronation ceremony has disproved them.
“As an agency, the NDDC can only operate in an atmosphere of unity, and peace. I therefore call on the Niger Delta communities to be more than ever be united and continue to eshew acrimony and disunity.
“Our mandate as a Commission is to develop within our capacity every community of the Niger Delta region. I want to equally thank the Emeyal Clan for the display of love, peace and cooperation among themselves and the communities of the clan”, he said.
The Tide learnt that the new Monarch’s coronation ceremony is coming after five years of interregnum upon the demise of the former substantive monarch of the kingdom, the late king George Adumein Lawson, which necessitated the appointment of an Acting monarch.
King Lawson, The Tide further gathered, died in 2021 and was interred months after.
Until his installation, the new substantive monarch was paramount ruler of Oruma (Yiba-Ama) Community, one of the twelve communities in the clan.
King Amakiri, who now goes by the appellation, Obanobhan 2nd of Emeyal Clan won a keenly contested election for the coveted stool in 2024, paving a way for his formal coronation and presentation of Staff of office by the Bayelsa State Government, last Saturday, at Emeyal Two Community, headquarters of the clan.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered an immediate review of environmental sanitation operations in Calabar metropolis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, on Friday, the Governor said the sanitary situation of the city had become a cause for concern.
He said the review became necessary because Calabar should continue to maintain its status as the cleanest city in the country.
“The city is now littered with wastes, the cleanliness status of Calabar is almost gone, we cannot just fold our arms and watch,” he said.
The Governor continued that every resident of the city had roles to play towards restoring the sanitary status of the city.
“Every resident should live up to their responsibilities. Our reputation in sanitation was not earned overnight, we worked for it.
“It is the product of discipline, policy consistency, and civic responsibility. We cannot allow negligence to take away this reputation,” he said.
He further directed that henceforth, sanitation exercise should be supervised by the office of his Special Adviser on General Duties.
“This intervention is intended to ensure stricter coordination among contractors and government agencies that are responsible for waste management,
“Environmental sanitation is not a peripheral concern of government. It is central to public health, urban dignity, and the overall quality of life of the citizens”, he said.
Otu expressed displeasure at lapses arising from the attitude of some refuse contractors in the state.
He said breakdown of mechanical tools could not be a reasonable excuse for non-evacuation of refuse.
“Operational setbacks should never translate into visible environmental neglect. Preparedness, contingency planning and prompt response are the hallmarks of responsible service providers.” he said.
A Bayelsa-based lawyer, and candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary in the suspended National Executive Council (NEC) elections of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Barr. Abraham Marshall, has said the court order, which restrained the conduct of the March 7th, 2026 polls, was a setback to stakeholders of the INC.
He expressed his worries about the plights of delegates who travelled from various parts of Ijaw land to come for the elections in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, only to be disappointed by the court order.
While thanking other candidates for maintaining orderliness and brotherliness all through the campaign processes, Marshall said the court injunction has devasted candidates vying for various positions.
He described the cost of what has already been spent on campaigns and sundry arrangements for the elections as huge.
Marshall noted that already he was a leading candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary as he was optimistic of victory.
“First of all I’ve great confidence in the ability of the Electoral Committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, HRM, Justice F.F Tabai, which was eager to conduct a seamless election.
“Some of us have campaigned through the three zones and clans of the INC. Some of us went to the Western Zone, Eastern and Central Zones to meet delegates.
“That is how it happenes atimes when there are contest, some persons who are aggrieved, rather than take laws into their hands, go to court to seek judicial redress. So, I want to commend all candidates for maintaining decorum throughout the entire process.
“I like to also call on stakeholders to quickly seek for ways through internal mechanisms of the INC to end this problem so that the elections can be conducted because as candidates we’ve incured lots of expenses leading to the process”, he stated.
Meanwhile, in a bid to proffer solutions to the issues bedeviling the smooth conduct of polls, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday met with stakeholders of the INC and its six Presidential candidates, as well as other major stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in Government House, Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Governor commended individuals and institutions, including the presidential candidates and the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), for their efforts towards actualising a peaceful and seamless transition of leadership in the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The Tide gathered that at the meeting, the presidential candidates agreed to withdraw all subsisting litigations concerning the election.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Diri also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Bolade Igali, the Chairman and members of the INC National Electoral Committee, and other stakeholders who contributed to the resolution reached at the meeting.
Drawing an analogy from the scriptures, particularly 1 Kings Chapter 3, he likened the unanimous agreement of the candidates to withdraw all pending court cases to the decision of the true mother of the disputed baby who pleaded with King Solomon not to cut the child into two.
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the resolution reflects the enthusiasm, love and patriotic fervour in all the presidential candidates to move Ijaw nation forward.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, the candidates, including High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe, who secured the injunction from a Port Harcourt High Court stopping the INC Elections billed for last weekend, confirmed the agreement and pledged commitment towards the peaceful emergence of the next President of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has rescued seven victims and detained four suspects linked to human trafficking along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
John said police operatives dismantled a human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, rescuing seven victims and arresting four suspects involved in the network.
She said acting on credible intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilised a patrol team for a coordinated stop-and-search operation along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road on Friday.
The operation, conducted at about 8 a.m. on Friday, targeted vehicles suspected of transporting victims of human trafficking.
“During the operation, the suspected vehicle was intercepted and four victims were immediately rescued, while the suspect conveying them was arrested and taken into custody.
“Following reports that a vehicle was conveying young persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking, our operatives quickly moved to intercept it,” John said.
She said interrogation of the suspect led to the expansion of the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Oron Local Government Area.
John said three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended during the follow-up operation.
This brought the total number of rescued victims to seven and suspects arrested to four.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed that the trafficking syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across borders for exploitation.
“Intelligence gathered further disclosed that one of the ringleaders earlier escaped through waterways from Ibaka in Oron to Cameroon and Gabon with some victims”, she said.
John said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the probe.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes in the state.
She assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
John urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to the police to help protect vulnerable persons and strengthen community safety.
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