Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Federal Public Complaints Commissioner of the Federation, overseeing Benue State Alhaji Abubakar Tsav,has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing Governor Samuel Ortom of “executive recklessness” and privatisation of the state.
The 10-page letter dated May 16th titled “ Whistleblowing: Stagnation of Benue State” was addressed to Governor Ortom and made available to newsmen Makurdi. Copies were also sent to all the anti-graft agencies in the country.
Tsav in the letter accused Governor Ortom of “corruptive nepotism and executive recklessness” by placing his family business, Oracle Business Limited above the state. He said this represents a conflict of interest.
“On 12th July, 2015, your brother who is the CEO, Oracle Business Ltd, Mr. Michael Ortom wrote a letter congratulating you on your electoral victory as Governor of Benue state.
FCT
Deputy Whip, House of Representatives, Rep. Pally Iriase, has called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on insecurity as killings, kidnappings and raping continue unabated across the country.
Iriase made the call in Abuja on Sunday while speaking with newsmen.
He appealed to the government and security operatives to check the activities of the bandits killing, raping and kidnapping innocent people in Edo State.
The lawmaker, who refused to call the bandits Fulani herdsmen, said that residents of Owan East and West, Etsako and Akoko local government areas were under siege by the bandits.
He said that the bandits carried sophisticated weapons like AK47 and machine guns.
Gombe
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.Yakubu Dogara, last Saturday, urged minority tribesmen in the country to devise ways of preserving their languages to guard against extinction in future.
Dogara gave the advice in Lubo community of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area of Gombe state during the launch of New Testament Bible, which was translated to ‘Tera’ language.
He commended the effort of Tera speaking people for taking a bold step to translate the Bible into their dialect, adding that the move would go a long way in preserving their language.
“Language that is not preserved may likely go into extinction and this will affect the unity of the people.
Jigawa
The Igala Cultural Group from Jigawa State in Dutse last Sunday emerged winner of the 2017 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Batch ‘A’ Stream One Dance Carnival, organized by Jigawa NYSC.
Reports have it that the Yorubu group came second while the Igbo group came third, with each of the groups carting away a trophy.
Ten groups, which represented different tribes of the country, featured in the event.
Speaking at the occasion, the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad, said the competition had further strengthened the unity of the country and brotherhood of the corps members.
Katsina
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has called on elected officials, agencies and other initiators of empowerment support schemes to allocate not less than 60 per cent to women.
Masari made the call in Bakori last Sunday while launching distribution of 30 cars, 100 motorcycles, 70 sewing machines and 20 generating sets as empowerment items donated by the representative of Bakori/Danja Federal Constituency, Rep. Amiru Tukur.
The governor explained that women faced enormous challenges, especially in the rural areas, where they were mostly bread winners, sponsoring children’s education and other burdens.
He said women always ensured that their earnings went to family upkeep more than men.
Kogi
Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) has said that the ongoing move by the electorate in his constituency to recall him from the Senate will fail.
Melaye, who is representing the Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, made the statement in Kabba, Kogi State, last Sunday, when he addressed his supporters.
He said his achievements in the Senate were enormous and as such the people of the constituency were solidly behind him.
Melaye, who later led his supporters on a peaceful march round Kabba town, alleged that the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was behind the move to recall him.
Kwara
The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board last Sunday said it had fixed Friday, June 16th, as deadline for the completion of payment of 2017 Hajj fare by all prospective pilgrims travelling through the board.
Alhaji Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh, the Executive Secretary of the board, announced this while speaking with newsmen in llorin.
He therefore advised all intending pilgrims to pay up their balance on or before that date, or forfeit their seats, warning that there would be no extension of the deadline
Tunde-Jimoh said the fixing of the deadline was necessitated by the directive of the National Hajj Commission that all state Muslim pilgrims welfare boards should submit all travelling documents of their intending pilgrims.
Lagos
A veteran journalist and poet, Mr Akeem Lasisi, has called on journalists to write books to enable a large number of people to benefit from their knowledge.
“It shouldn’t be about covering events. The news reporting that we do everyday largely flows with the wind.
“Where were the stories you and I wrote five years ago or six years ago.
“You can only find them in one archive or library somewhere people don’t get to talk about them again,’’ Lasisi said in Lagos at a launch of a book he co-authored.
Lasisi, a poet for more than 25 years, said that some journalists developed ideas that could form books, but did not produce books out of them.
Nasarawa
Secretary, Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abubakar Nalarabe, has appealed to the Federal Government to subsidise hajj fare.
He made the appeal last Sunday, in Lafia, during orientation programme organized by the board for prospective pilgrims from the state.
He urged the government to come to the aid of intending pilgrims in view of the high exchange rate and the economic situation in the country.
Nalarabe noted that those who participated in the 2016 pilgrimage paid N1, 050, 000 (one million, fifty thousand naira) as fare, adding that the fare had gone up to N1.5 million.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State says the current recession in the country has hindered his zeal to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
Tambuwal stated this in Sokoto, on Sunday, at the quarterly stakeholders’ meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) party in the state.
“ We came with the zeal to work, but the unfortunate situation we found ourselves, has slowed us down.
“ Yet, we have been promptly paying salaries and other workers’ entitlements, as well as pensions and gratuities.
“ We have also completed most of the inherited projects; some are ongoing, while we have initiated additional projects.
“ The present administration will not abandon any projects, which would be evenly spread across the state,” the governor said.
Oyo
Senate President Bukola Saraki last Saturday, said Nigeria would only attain greatness in unity.
Saraki told newsmen in Ibadan, last Saturday, that Nigerians, irrespective of political, ethnic and religious affiliations, must shun calls for disintegration.
Report that Saraki, in company with Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari(APC-Oyo North), was in Ibadan for the wedding ceremony of the daughter of APC chieftain, Chief Bisi Akande.
The senate president was reacting to the ultimatum issued by some northern youths to Igbos to quit the north by October 1 and the counter threats by some other ethnic groups.
But Saraki said that the unity of the country was not negotiable, adding that Nigerians must come together to achieve peace and progress.
“ Leaders from the various regions of the country should preach unity to their youths”, he said.
Plateau
The Federal University of Technology, Minna, has donated 148 titles with 458 volume of books worth over N1 million to the University of Jos.
The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Lydia Legbo, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna, last Saturday.
She said that it was part of the university decision to assist the institution in rebuilding process after the fire incident that razed the university’s library at the permanent site in September, 2016.
The donation was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Musbau Akanji, who was represented by the University Librarian, Dr Jubril Alhassan.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof. Akanji expressed FUT, Minna, heartfelt sympathies with the university over the colossal loss of its library books and equipment that were destroyed during the inferno.
The President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide and the Mgboh XIII of the Mgboh Royal Family of Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze (Barrister) Godspower Onuekwa, penultimate Friday celebrated his 80th birthday with pomp, pageantry and fanfare.
The celebration, which commenced with a symposium organised in his honour at Rivers State University on Thursday, August 21,2025, got to a resounding climax on Friday at Suntai Event Centre in Port Harcourt, where people from all walks of life, including business associates, friends, well-wishers, relatives, community folks, traditional rulers, and admirers, gathered to pay glowing tributes to the celebrant.
Before then, a well attended thanksgiving service was held that same Friday at Emmanuel Anglican Church, Okoro-Nu-Odo, to honour him and return gratitude to God Almighty for the fruitful and eventful life and accomplishments of the Emohua leader and icon.
The service which was officiated by Rt Rev Wisdom Budu Ihunwo, Bishop of Niger Delta North had other renowned and respected clerics like Most Rev(Dr) Blessing Enyindah, Dean, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion); Rt Rev(Dr) Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta; Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, Bishop, Diocese of Evo; and Ven Solomon Eze Nelson, Archdeacon, Okoro-Nu-Odo; among others lined up as officiating ministers.
The service lived up to its billing, as it featured powerful and soul-lifting praise and worship; point-blank prayers; and beautiful renditions, which electrified the entire atmosphere, essentially packaged to thank God for the life of the celebrant.
However, the crowning moment actually came when the who is who, the crème de la crème of the society, thronged the terraces and fabulously decorated expansive hall of Suntai Event Centre, to celebrate Eze Onuekwa, amid accolades, aplomb and panache, wining and dining, and clinking of glasses with him and all.
The chairman of the colourful ceremony, Chief Evans Woherem, who was represented by Eze(Prof) Christian Akani of the prestigious Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, praised the celebrant for his youthfulness in spite of clocking 80 years, generosity, humility, humaneness and selfless services to the Ikwerre ethnic nationality, the Niger Delta and Nigeria, and called on all and sundry to emulate his good legacies and simple disposition towards life and existence.
Goodwill messages also poured in in torrents to underscore and salute the doggedness, resilience, astuteness and uniqueness of the endearing life of the celebrant, with Prof Emenike Wami, the Ochia Ohna Ikwerre(XIV), taking the lead.
Prof Priye Iyalla, the wife of late renowned writer, novelist and playwright, Dr Elechi Amadi, held the audience spellbound as she masterfully reeled out the profile of the celebrant, amid intermittent applause from the crowd.
The Tiv Community from Benue State, resident in Rivers State, were not left out, as they honoured and decorated Eze Onuekwa in their complete traditional regalia.
Cultural displays from Baptist Church, Rumuowhor; ADNA Wogbuji Dancing Group, Egbeda; Tiv Dancing Group; and Promoter Eze and Rumu-Mgboh Emohua Wrestling Group, equally added colour and grace to the occasion, with the celebrant and his wife, Dame Ann Onuekwa, joining them to wriggle their waists and bodies in ecstasy.
In his response, the highly elated celebrant, Eze Onuekwa thanked all those gathered to celebrate with him, saying, celebrations would never cease in their homes, and attributed everything he represents in life, including his modest accomplishments to God.
Eze Onuekwa, while addressing newsmen, harped on the need for hard work among the youths and members of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, as a way of sustaining and giving meaning to the motto of the organisation, which he noted is anchored on peace, unity and progress.
He specially thanked God for sustaining his life, and for making everything possible for him and his family, saying, he was joyous that he has today become an octogenarian and elder statesman in Rivers State.
His son and medical practitioner, Dr Samuel Chizia Onuekwa expressed delight that people from far and near had come together to celebrate the father, whom he described as a role model and great inspirator.
He said it was a good thing that the children were celebrating their father when he is alive, stressing that the last time Eze Onuekwa was celebrated in such magnitude was 20 years ago, during his 60th birthday celebration, and prayed God to grant him many more years in good health.
Among dignitaries who graced the event were Senator Andrew Uchendu; Chief Sampson Agbaru; Prof Emenike Wami; Dr Peter Didia; Eze(Prof) Samuel Ugo Onyeka; and a host of others. Justice Iche Ndu(rtd); and C O Kattey were among personalities that attended the thanksgiving service, while the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Isaac Zeb-Obipi led the academics who graced the symposium, alongside Eze G A O Omodu.
As the 100 Ogoni youths trained by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Creative Arts close out their training on Tuesday at the Theatre Arts Department, University of Port Harcourt, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has urged the beneficiaries to use the skills acquired to ensure that the Ogoni stories are told and heard in the right way.
The trainees, who had completed a four- month training in script writing, film production and make-up are beneficiaries of the HYPREP sustainable livelihood programme, aimed at providing high demand skills to Ogoni youths in the lucrative creative arts and entertainment industry.
Zabbey described the Creative Arts training as well as other programmes and interventions as HYPREP’s strategic sustained effort to create alternative sources of livelihood.
”Targeted capacity building for Ogoni youths and women remains a central strategy in HYPREP’s livelihood restoration and improvement efforts. Our goal is to reach every part of the Ogoni community and ensure that no group or talent pool is left behind. This training is a deliberate step to empower young people who aspire to make their mark in the creative and entertainment industry”, he said.
While commending the trainees for producing four short films within the training period, one of which was premiered at the ceremony-Dirty Festival, the Project Coordinator noted that the training would serve as a springboard into the industry, and enable them earn a living, become entrepreneurs, and open new doors of opportunities for themselves and their communities. The three other movies are Open Pain, Bomu and Green War.
He enjoined them to utilise their skills and platforms to promote civic responsibility, peace, and environmental sustainability, urging them to ensure that Ogoni is heard in the right way, speak for HYPREP and highlight the progress being made in implementing the recommendations of the UNEP Report.
Other speakers at the event, including the Director of Technical Services of HYPREP, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi; Dr Ovunda Ihunwo, Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt; Chief Douglas Experience, the Project Coordinator of Halibiz Consult Limited; and Mrs Josephine Nzidee, Head, Sustainable Livelihood of HYPREP, all applauded HYPREP for the training, and charged the trainees to maximise the opportunity.
The trainees were later presented certificates of participation.
Visibly elated Ms Lebee Tornwe, one of the beneficiaries, thanked HYPREP and the Project Coordinator for offering the trainees the rare opportunity to acquire skills in the creative arts and entertainment industry, and expressed delight that Dr Ihunwo and Halibiz Consult Limited gave their all in grooming them.
With the wrapping up of the Creative Arts training(100), HYPREP has trained 230 Ogoni youths in high demand skill sets ,viz; seafaring(100); and aviation (30). The Project will this year, commence training in other skill areas, including Mechatronic, Aviation, Full-Stack Development, Commercial Diving, Underwater Welding and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Still in the offing is the training for Ogoni Persons Living with Disabilities in five skill sets- fish farming; basic computer skills; photography; fashion and design; and shoemaking in line with their Needs Assessment and HYPREP’s policy of inclusivity.
The National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) had called on stakeholders to work collaboratively towards the development and empowerment of Ogoni youths.
NYCOP made the call in a communique issue over the weekend after an emergency Congress in Port Harcourt and signed by its President, Comrade Raymond Nwibani Marcus.
In the communique, NYCOP endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s appointments of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees (BOT) members of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), particularly Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Nwika Deeyah as Chairman of HYPREP’s BOT.
It respectfully appealed to the President to consider appointing a representative from the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) under the leadership of Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, being the pioneering social vehicle for Ogoni advocacy since the inception of the Ogoni struggle, adding that it would significantly contribute to the decision-making process.
The body commended the overall management of HYPREP and urges the President to continue funding the HYPREP project.
NYCOP furthermore recommended considering the conversion of HYPREP from a project to a full-fledged agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The communique also stated that NYCOP thanked President Tinubu for establishing the Federal University of Environmental Technology, and for appointing key staff, forming a dialogue committee, and initiating infrastructural projects like the Eleme axis of the East-West Road and the Bonny-Bodo Road, significantly enhancing regional connectivity and economic prospects.
In solidarity with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the endorsed President Tinubu’s second-term bid, saying it believes his leadership embodies the aspirations of the Ogoni people and Nigerians at large.
“After thorough consideration of the Disciplinary Committee’s report, NYCOP resolves:
” To indefinitely suspend Comrade Nade Nade Burale from his position as Secretary General due to misconduct.
“To declare Comrade Saviour Imeabe persona non grata on Ogoni youth issues, given his actions’ potential to instigate crisis in Ogoni and beyond” the communique stated.
NYCOP in his resolution issued a 7-day ultimatum to former HYPREP BOT Chairman Mike Nwialeghi to explain the $100 million HYPREP fund investment, warning of potential litigation.
NYCOP reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Ogoni youth interests and preventing personal aggrandizement.
According to the communique the resolutions demonstrate NYCOP’s efforts to promote the collective welfare and advancement of Ogoni youth.
“We will no longer tolerate any individual or group using the name or issues of Ogoni youth for personal aggrandizement.
” Our mandate is clear: to promote the collective welfare and advancement of Ogoni youth” the communique said.
NYCOP passes a vote of confidence in Hon. Emmanuel Nwika Deeyah, acknowledging his impeccable credentials and credibility to lead the BOT of HYPREP effectively.
Kiadum Edookor
