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Kumuyi Lauds Amaechi’s Dev Strides
The General-Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, worldwide, Rev. William Kumuyi, has lauded the numerous development initiatives of Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s administration in Rivers state.
Rev Kumuyi gave the commendation when he and other top echelons of the church paid a courtesy visit to Governor Amaechi at the weekend in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The General Overseer said he was excited over the huge transformation the state had undergone in the past four years, “I was here last in 2005 and since I came, I have not gone round too much but I have seen some changes and I don’t have any doubt, because this is one of the reasons why the good people of Rivers State actually love you. I think some of them would have wished there were the possibility of a third term and I think you would easily come in if there were, considering the things they have seen”.
Considering his background as an educationist, the Deeper Life Church Overseer also lauded the educational initiatives of the Amaechi administration, “not only because you give scholarship to those who are furthering their education, but you are bent in furthering the state through the resources, so that, the bright ones would get the support of the state, it is something commendable”.
Rev. Kumuyi also commended the Governor on the numerous road projects, stating that while coming from Cross River and Akwa-Ibom axis, “to me, this is so different from the time I came in 2005. Even to link the various local governments together and the city, the dualisation of the roads have been quite very good”.
The man of God attributed the Amaechi giant strides to his unflinching faith in God, stressing that the government’s slogan, ‘I believe’ displays the Governor’s strong attachment to God,” I think God has not only honoured the faith of the Governor but that of his cabinet and the people of the whole state,” he added.
He urged the Rivers State Chief Executive to continue in his strides and not to be discouraged by the state of affairs in the country, “the whole world is watching and I think it is very commendable that a public officer in this country will call people in the state together and make a report of what came in and what was present. I believe this is what other leaders in this country should emulate.”
In his response, Governor Amaechi commended the man of God and expressed his elation to host him.
Amaechi described Rev Kumuyi as a unique servant of God, noting that, “the history of Christian religion in Nigeria will not be complete if your name is not mentioned.”
As a youth, Amaechi disclosed that he had attended the church and admired the high level of discipline in the church.
The Rivers State Governor urged Rev Kumuyi to continue in maintaining such high standards in Christianity since such practice would raise the profile of Christendom.
The Governor charged the Church to wake up to its responsibility as the moral watchdog of society. He argued that if the Church failed in its responsibility, the society would continue to decay because it had compromised in holding its members accountable.
Amaechi maintained, “the Church should be pragmatic and should be liberationist in nature… We nned that kind of preaching and also a prayer from you,” as he maintained that when the church did that the society will be the better for it.
The Deeper Life Church General Overseer further assured the Governor of the constant support and prayer of the church at all times as he prayed for the Amaechi led administration.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.