Niger Delta

Monarch Wants Teaching Of Moral Instructions In Schools

Published

6 years ago

December 20, 2019

The Paramount Ruler of Oginigba Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze G. B. Odum, has called for moral instructions to be included in school curriculum in order to help shape the behaviour of students and instill in them disciplinary habits.
Eze Odum, made the call during an exclusive chat with The Tide shortly after the 2019 end of year ceremony of the Old Students Association of Government Technical College (GTC), Port Harcourt recently.
The traditional ruler expressed sadness over the prevalence of decadent behaviour amongst young people, even as he blamed teachers for neglecting moral aspect of education.
According to him, “I have observed that boys and girls these days are not actually showing the way their parents started in life. Those days when we were in school, children are taught how to behave, what to do and what not to do among boys and girls and from there they grew up to become good parents in future.
“But today anyone does what he/she likes. Girls dress in provocative ways and boys also dress with their trousers sagging. I remember when Magistrate Odogu was in Rivers State, if they saw any person dressing that way that person will be apprehended and tried. It served as a check for boys and girls. Today those things are no more there.”
He further said, “I am even thinking that the best thing is to return all the schools to the mission. Let that moral education be part of the school syllabus. I blame teachers for most of these things that are happening in society today.
“They are no longer teaching moral education and that is why students today are cultists. They (students) do things their parents never did because of no moral education. Students, these words are for you, you put knife in your pocket, put axe in your bag.
“Those are not materials required for you to go to school with. By so doing, you are damaging yourself. Only one bullet from the Police will end your life,” the monarch said, just as he urged students and young people in general to see themselves as ambassadors of the State (Rivers).
“Also see yourself as an ambassador of your community. Don’t get yourself in cultism. Please if these are taken seriously, our children will come out to get a job where they will grow in life.
I am appealing, there should be moral education in the syllabus where boys and girls should know their limits in life.
“If you travel outside, Rivers State has no good name. It is not by our government, not by the parents, but our children. The left hand is nearer to the anus than the right hand. So moral education should be better handled by teachers in our various schools. “If that is done I think it will go a long way to checkmate children who are not behaving well,” Odum stated

Niger Delta

Navy Pledges Improved Patrols, Welfare Boost For Personnel

Published

5 minutes ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has pledged to ensure improved welfare for personnel and more patrols on the maritime corridors of the nation.

He disclosed this during an on the spot assessment of things at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Calabar, on Wednesday.

According to him, there is the need for officers to always be ready, by improving on their welfare, in a bid to keep the country secured.

“I am here for an on the spot assessment of our operations and like you have seen, I have also gone round to check the ongoing buildings.

”These are welfare issues and for us to be able to have our men ready and keep us secured, their welfare needs to be catered for.

“So, we are here to kill two birds with one stone, which are basically operations and welfare issues.

”I am happy with what the command is doing; it is doing well in terms of keeping the maritime environment safe.

“We will continue doing what we are doing and improve on that, which is patrol of the waters and increase in the area of surveillance”, he stated.

As part of his visit, Abbas commissioned the 12×1 Junior Rates Accommodation Block A and B, at the Navy Barracks at Atimbo in Calabar.

The naval chief also inspected other ongoing projects in the Akim Barracks, 1006 flats and the Navy hotel, all within Calabar.

Niger Delta

Delta Begins Uromi Junction Flyover Construction

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State Government says it has began construction work on the long-awaited Uromi Junction Flyover Bridge in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state.

Director-General (DG) of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, confirmed the development to newsme in Asaba.

According to him, heavy-duty construction equipment have arrived the site, a project which is being handled by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, one of the country’s leading construction firms.

Oghenesivbe, described the flyover as a massive infrastructure project with far-reaching socio-economic benefits for the area.

He said the project would significantly transform the Agbor metropolis by easing traffic congestion, improving the city’s aesthetics, and boosting commercial activities within the local government area.

He described the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as a promise-keeper and pragmatic leader whose administration remains committed to infrastructure development and economic growth across the state.

The DG expressed confidence in Julius Berger’s capacity to deliver the project within record time and according to the highest construction standards.

“The Uromi Junction serves as a major link between different parts of the country but has recently been plagued by severe traffic congestion, making vehicular movement increasingly difficult”, he noted.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and safeguard construction materials and equipment to ensure the timely completion of the project.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Rejects Ekid Ownership Claim Of Stubbs Creek

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected claims by the Ekid People’s Union that it owns land within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, describing such assertions as “false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

In a recent statement, signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, the state government said it was compelled to respond in the “overriding public interest,” despite a pending court case instituted by the same group.

The government stated that contrary to claims circulating in the media, the historic case of Ntiaro and Ikpak vs. Ibok Etok Akpan and Edoho Ekid, decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1918, did not vest ownership of Stubbs Creek land in any ethnic group or community.

“The final judgement merely dismissed the claims before the court and granted title to no party whatsoever”, the government stated, adding that “any assertion to the contrary is false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

According to the statement, the land was lawfully reserved by the colonial government under Forest Reserve Order No. 45 of 1930, later amended in 1941, 1955 and 1962, with “the principal rights of the land forfeited to the Government upon the change of status.”

It said the area has since been administered under applicable laws by the Akwa Ibom State Government, which “has at all times acted within its lawful authority in the management and allocation of land in the area for legitimate public and economic purposes.”

Citing the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act, the government stated that all land in the state is vested in the governor to be held in trust for the common benefit of Nigerians, noting that claims of absolute ancestral ownership are subject to existing laws.

The government “categorically denies allegations of fraud or misrepresentation” regarding Stubbs Creek or investments there and warned it would take “appropriate legal steps” against any individual or group publishing false or defamatory material capable of undermining public confidence or discouraging investment

The statement also assured the federal government of “full access and Right of Way” for the proposed Coastal Highway through any part of the state.

The government statement followed an earlier report in which the Ekid People’s Union accused Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State of making comments that allegedly linked the community to terrorism, while he was defending the Coastal Highway project passing through the Stubbs Creek.

Ekid People’s Union maintained that the people of Ekid are the original owners of the land known as Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, arguing that their ancestral ownership predates colonial rule.

The group cited historical occupation, customary ownership and a 1918 Privy Council case, which it claimed affirmed Ekid rights over the territory.

The union also accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of misrepresenting history to justify taking over the land for commercial interests and the proposed Coastal Highway, an allegation the state government has denied.

The group rejected any suggestion linking the Ekid people to criminality or terrorism, insisting they were peaceful citizens defending their ancestral land through lawful and civic means.