Education
Lack Of Valuation Driving Land Grabbing In Rivers, Warns RSU Professor
A professor of Property Investment and Valuation at Rivers State University(,RSu) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt,Prof. Chukwuemeka Edmund Ekenta, has identified poor valuation and weak documentation as the major drivers of land grabbing and property disputes in the State.
Ekenta said if valuation processes were strengthened and property records properly kept, incidents of land grabbing would be reduced to the barest minimum.
He stated this on Wednesday while delivering her inaugural lecture at the 136th inaugural lecture of the university held at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building in Port Harcourt.
The lecture titled _”Valuation As Fulcrum of Property Investments And Systemic Governance: Inquests From Scholarship”_.
The professor told the audience that the lecture was intended to expand public understanding of property beyond physical assets.
“Property is not limited to real estate — things you can feel and touch,” he said
He noted that intellectual property also constitutes valuable assets.
“Intellectual property, which many of us have the potential to create, also matters. This includes creativity of the intellect such as scholarly articles and music. These are things that have great potential as major investments,” Ekenta said.
Focusing on Rivers, he said valuation gaps remain a critical challenge.
“One of the major challenges in Rivers State is lack of valuation,” he stated.
According to him, proper valuation and documentation would help curb land grabbing.
“If there is effective valuation and proper property documentation, it will bring land grabbing to a halt,” he said.
Ekenta disclosed that he is currently conducting research on land grabbing, adding that the findings, when released, would contribute to solving the problem.
He further explained that early involvement of estate surveyors and valuers is key.
“If there is proper documentation and estate surveyors and valuers are involved on time, I don’t think the issue of land grabbing will be something we will be dealing with,” he said.
The professor also attributed the high cost of leasing to inflation. He urged government to reduce costs and encourage local production of building materials to bring down the price of property across the country.
On professional regulation, Ekenta said the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers is working to incorporate real estate agents into a formal body.
“We are going to enlighten and train them so that the embarrassment they bring to our profession will be reduced to the barest minimum. Some of them who want to become professional estate surveyors and valuers can migrate from there and become colleagues,” he stated.
He recommended that stakeholders engage the services of estate surveyors and valuers before, during, and after property transactions.
He also called on RSU management to ensure regular valuation of university assets using the Department of Estate Management.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of RSU, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, commended Ekenta for the lecture. He said the university was proud to have produced him as a professor and assured that management would act on his recommendations.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State, Dr. Sir Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson, PhD, has presented his comprehensive educational blueprint as part of his 10-Point Agenda for the state.
Dr. Pidomson unveiled the blueprint on Friday during the Rivers We Want 2027 Governorship Dialogue, organized by the Center for Peace and Security Studies, Port Harcourt, and convened under the Rivers Peace Initiative (RPI).
The dialogue, designed as a citizen-focused platform for constructive engagement ahead of the 2027 election, brought together stakeholders, civil society actors and the media to interrogate the vision of governorship hopefuls.
Presenting his agenda titled “Building The Rivers We Deserve,” the former Secretary to the Rivers State Government said education remains the foundation of his prosperity agenda for all Rivers people.
According to him, his administration will overhaul public schools to provide a conducive learning environment, strengthen technical and vocational education, and invest massively in teacher training and retraining to prepare Rivers students to compete globally.
Dr. Pidomson noted that his education reform will be tied to job creation, entrepreneurship, digital technology, agriculture and manufacturing, so that young people become employers of labour rather than job seekers.
He commended the organizers of the Rivers We Want Dialogue for creating a fair and inclusive platform where candidates can present their ideas directly to the people, rather than through ethnic sentiments or imposition.
The ADC candidate reiterated that his campaign will be built on ideas, discipline and people-centred solutions, stressing that no local government or community will be treated as an afterthought in his government.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Education
Abia Student Breaks Down in Tears, Wishes Late Father Witnessed International Debate Victory
An emotional moment unfolded as one of the students who represented Nigeria at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar, broke down in tears of joy following her speech, wishing her late father were alive to witness her remarkable achievement.
The student’s emotional reaction touched the hearts of those present as she reflected on the milestone and the father who could not be there to celebrate the moment with her.
Her mother and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, were also part of the emotional celebration, sharing in the joy of her achievement and Nigeria’s success at the international competition.
The student’s accomplishment has drawn attention to the growing importance of quality education, academic excellence and opportunities for young Nigerians to showcase their talents on the global stage.
The development has also renewed conversations about the state of education in Abia State under Governor Otti’s administration.
For many residents and supporters of the government, the achievement represents a positive sign of progress in the state’s education sector, which has faced challenges in previous years.
There is a growing sense of optimism among supporters who believe that renewed attention to education can help restore public confidence in the state’s schools and create opportunities for students to compete favourably with their peers around the world.
The student’s success in Doha is a reminder of the potential of Nigerian children when given the opportunity to learn, develop their skills and participate in international academic competitions.
Beyond the victory, her heartfelt wish to have her late father witness the moment added a deeply personal dimension to an achievement that brought pride to her family, Abia State and Nigeria.
The Scholarship controversies between PAMO University of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State House of Assembly took a twist last weekend as the Hon Justice Frank Onyiri has nullified the Order of Arrest of the State Assembly to arrest the Vice Chancellor of PAMO, Prof. Smith Jaja.
The court further granted perpetual injunction restraining the Assembly, the Police or any security agencies from in any way interfering with the rights of the applicant.
Delivering his ruling on Friday 30th October 2026 Justice Onyiri at the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
The judge nullified the Order made against the applicant by the Rivers State House of Assembly, holding that the setting up of a committee to investigate the employer of the applicant purportedly under section 128 of the Constitution after the Appropriation Act 2026 had been passed and signed was a sham.
He held that the Assembly has no power to indict or adjudicate on the guilt of any person but only to investigate and receive evidence for, and only, for the purpose of section 128 of the constitution.
Starting that the declaration to arrest the Vice Chancellor, Prof Smith Jaja of PAMO by the RSHA for failure to appear before it’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 25th of September is nullified.
Giving his judgement in an enforcement of fundamental rights application brought before him by Professor Smith Jaja against fundamental rights by the Rivers State House of Assembly, the court upheld the entitlement of the applicant to have his fundamental rights under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Africa Charter on Human and People’s Rights protected.
The Judge also upheld an order of damages against the Rivers State House of HV Assembly in the sum of Two Million Naira to be paid to the applicant.
On his part, attorney of PAMO Medical University Dr. CAJ Chinwo and MS Agu who stood in for EC Ukala SAN comm
ended the judgement which lasted for about ninety minutes.
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