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Rivers Crisis: Amaechi Explains Issue With Dame Jonathan
As peace talks continue in order to end the political crisis in Rivers State, Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has cleared the air on his perceived misunderstanding with tae First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
Amaechi spoke when clergymen of the Niger Delta Bishop’s Forum visited him in Government House ,Port Harcourt on Friday as part of efforts to broker peace amongst the parties. The bishops had some weeks ago visited Mrs Jonathan and Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike in Abuja.
While expressing his respect to both President Jonathan and his wife, the governor recalled that the rift arose out of his desire to provide a conducive learning environment for the children of Okrika, home town of the First Lady.
Amaechi said: “My Lords, I don’t know what to say, believe me, the only thing I want to say to you is that I want to be put on record that the wife of the President said, when my wife came to beg me, I pushed her away. I have never and I will never quarrel with my wife publicly. So, there is no time I pushed my wife away, and there is no time I will push my wife away. I just want to correct that so that nobody goes away with the impression that somebody told my wife ‘go and talk to your husband, she came and I pushed her away’. No. That day, I simply walked away into a bus and I sat down until they finished. So all I did was go back to the bus to enable my wife perform her official function of someone who had received the wife of the President and escort her to all the places she wanted to go to.
“I hope that it (this mediation) will work. Niger Delta monarchs came and no result came out of it, and since you are men of God, I hope that God will bless this one. I hope so because that is the same way I spoke to them (the monarchs) and they said, ‘watch out, it will work’, and they never returned because it never worked.
There are so many persons who had come to mediate but nothing came out of it. If it is peace that everybody wants, I am ready for peace. When you say you are seeking for permission, I am wondering why, because if you did not have the permission you would not have gone to see the wife of the President. The mere fact that you have seen the wife of the President means that you have initiated the peace move, so you don’t require any further approval than the approval of God that you have started with.
“There are aspects of the story that is public that I need to correct. Lord Bishops, please allow me correct those ones too because when you spoke with the wife of the President, she spoke publicly. She said, and I concede to her, when she said, she is my mother. As wife of the President who is the head of government and head of the nation, she is my mother, and you expect that as my mother, she should be able to protect her son. No mother takes away a Police Commissioner to the detriment of her son, so when next you see my mother, please tell her that she should try and protect her son.
“The other aspect is the Okrika story when she visited. Like I said, as the governor, by protocol, I will receive the President and you know that the President is not just our President, he is the head of the nation but when the wife of the President came, I went to receive her at the airport and she slept in Port Harcourt. The next day, she came up with a programme that was not part of the official programme.
And what was the programme? She wanted her people to receive her in Okrika. There was no plan, there was no protocol arrangement, nothing. We just had to quickly arrange protocol to take her to the place.
But to do that, we wanted to also show her, as part of her own programme, not our programme, the projects we had done in Okrika. So we took her to the Rufus Ada-George ring road in Okrika, which we started and completed, and then somewhere we saw a health centre and a primary school, and I said stop, let me show her this health centre. We looked at the health centre and we were satisfied.
At the primary school, there were houses around the primary school too close for comfort, no football field, no playground, no space at all around the school and I turned to the wife of the President, and said, ‘Your Excellency Ma, we have not finished with this building, we would buy the houses that are surrounding the primary school and demolish them’.
Once she heard the word, ‘demolish, the wife of the President flared up and took the microphone from me, and started all sorts of diatribes that I won’t mention here for the respect I have for the office of the wife of the President. I felt that it is wrong to confront the wife of the President publicly. When she finished, I withdrew and walked into the bus.
When we got to the ground of the reception which was not part of our programme, which she just included by herself, I came down from the bus and went to sit in one of the primary schools. That is where she said my wife met me and I pushed her away. How did the wife of the President know that my wife met me and I pushed her away when she was supposed to be in a public ceremony?. Was she standing with me and my wife in that primary school and saw me push my wife away? So, it is important that you get to know this and the public knows that the altercation between myself and the wife of the President was as a result of providing services to her place, the Okrika people because you must deal with the issue of paedophiles.
If you build a primary school and the place is surrounded by people who are cooking and selling and buying, that is not a conducive atmosphere for learning and we did not say we would come there with caterpillars and demolish.
We said we would buy the houses from the people and pay them off to be able to get a football field, provide playground for the children and fence off the school so that we can protect them from paedophiles, that was what happened.”
Governor Amaechi also spoke on the issue of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, whom he nominated for appointment as minister.
“I hear you also visited Nyesom Wike. I try not to talk about Wike. I say so because he is my subordinate, I try not to talk about him but I hear you visited him. Why I won’t talk about him is that Nyesom Wike, his second tenure as Obio/ Akpor Council Chairman was by the grace of God but I was the architect of that second term.
Nyesom Wike was appointed Chief of Staff by me.
“Nyesom Wike as a Minister of State, I nominated him. I was under pressure by the President to drop him, I refused. The President persuaded me to drop him, and bring a woman but I refused. I hear he is going all over town saying I didn’t appoint him. I didn’t appoint him, the President appointed him but I nominated him to be a minister as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum. I did but you know, character doesn’t come easily, character is a very difficult thing and I am a man of character”, Amaechi said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Rt. Rev. James Aye Oruwori said they came because they needed the governor’s permission to intervene in the prolonged crisis in the state and the dispute between the governor and the First Lady.
They said they took the challenge to intervene in the crisis without external influence, having also visited the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to restore the peace that existed in the state.
Rt. Rev. James Aye Oruwori said: “On behalf of the Niger Delta Bishops’ Forum, we came to visit you (Amaechi). We want to first of all appreciate your gracious approval of our coming. Summarily, to say why we are here, before I go into that, let me please say that our coming is not influenced by any person, our coming is not sponsored by any person but because in a home where there are fathers, peace is always maintained, and because we have observed that there had been some challenges to the people of Rivers State, then to the entire Nigeria, we feel agitated in our spirits.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that we have been praying but then, prayer without faith is classified as dead.
It is on this note, we have taken upon ourselves to make a move to seek for peace. The scripture says precisely in Matthew 5:9 that, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God”.
“The best thing to do, we felt is to first of all come to you and to say we would want to intervene in this matter believing that there is nothing impossible with God. We just feel that if this matter is allowed to escalate, the matter is something that will not affect only we that are living but even our children that will be born tomorrow”, the bishop added.
A Professor of Human Anatomy, with specialty in Physical and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has expressed delight over the successful delivery of the 207th Inaugural Lecture of the university, describing it as a significant milestone in his academic career.
This is even as he commended the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Owunari Georgewill for his tremendous support in achieving the feat.
Speaking in an interview following the lecture in Port Harcourt, the scholar said presenting an inaugural lecture represents one of the highest achievements in a university career, particularly after attaining the rank of professor.
“I feel good. It is a form of achievement. An inaugural lecture is one of the peaks of an academic career in the university, especially after becoming a professor. By the grace of God, I was able to achieve that and also let the world know my area of specialization and what we have been doing over the years. It makes me feel elated,” he said.
Prof Oladipo, who was elevated to the rank of professor in 2018, noted that the journey to the inaugural lecture was built on years of focused research and dedication to his field.
Tracing the motivation behind his research trajectory, he explained that his interest was sparked and rekindled as far back as 1998 during his undergraduate studies.
According to him, he observed that much of the data used in his area of medical research were sourced from foreign populations.
“I noticed as a medical student that most of the data we used were foreign data. I felt we needed local data that are ethnicity-specific. That was the genesis of the whole journey,” he explained.
He said the realization guided his academic pursuits through his master’s and PhD programmes, as he consistently worked towards generating research findings relevant to local populations.
On the reception of his inaugural lecture, the professor expressed satisfaction with the feedback from colleagues and attendees.
“I was happy because I was able to drive home my points, and people clearly understood my presentation. I also received very encouraging commendations from some colleagues,” he said.
The academic also acknowledged the support of the university’s leadership, describing the Vice Chancellor as “highly supportive” of his aspirations and professional growth, saying, “the way the university system runs, if the Vice Chancellor does not approve your inaugural lecture, you cannot present it.”
Inaugural lectures at the University of Port Harcourt provide a platform for newly appointed professors to formally present their research contributions and academic journey to the university community and the wider public.
Prof Oladipo, however, clarified that the Head of Department(HOD) of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt currently functions in acting capacity, in the person of Dr J S Hart.
The Africa Global Development For Positive Change Initiative (ADIAfrica), in collaboration with Stephen Igwe and Judith Igwe International Educational System, has concluded a free eye screening outreach for residents of Rivers State.
The outreach, which was flagged off in Port Harcourt, targeted more than 300 individuals with various eye conditions. Speaking at the event, the International President of ADIAfrica, Prince Dan Mbachi, said the initiative was designed to provide access to essential eye care services for underserved communities.
According to him, the first phase of the exercise commenced in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and is expected to extend to Etche and Ikwerre Local Government Areas, while the second phase will cover other parts of the state.
Mbachi described the outreach as part of the organization’s commitment to promoting quality healthcare, equity, human dignity, and sustainable development. He emphasized that vision challenges go beyond medical concerns, noting their impact on education, economic productivity, and family wellbeing.
“At ADIAfrica International, we recognize that vision is not merely a medical issue; it is also economic, educational, and social. A child who cannot see clearly struggles to learn. A trader with impaired vision struggles to work. When sight is compromised, opportunity is limited,” he said.
He explained that the exercise provided eye tests, medications, visual field assessments, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and related accessories, stressing that the intervention was aimed at transforming lives rather than serving as a mere charitable gesture.
Mbachi further noted that the initiative aligns with ADIAfrica’s broader mission of advancing sustainable development through practical and people-centered solutions.
Also speaking at the event, a chief from Rumueme Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chief Livingston Akaninwo, commended the organisation and its partners for supporting vulnerable members of society. The traditional ruler expressed concern that many people with eye conditions suffer silently due to poverty and limited access to healthcare.
He called on the government and well-meaning individuals to support ADIAfrica’s efforts to enable the outreach to reach more communities across the state.Some beneficiaries, including Mrs. Veronica Peters Olera Pere, expressed gratitude to the organizers for the initiative and appealed for the programme to be extended to other parts of Rivers State to benefit more residents.
By: John Bibor
A three-day intensive training programme aimed at empowering adolescent girls with knowledge, life skills, and advocacy tools to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and promote their wellbeing has ended at Okogbe Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The programme, which held from February 26 to February 28, 2026, was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation. It brought together adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years drawn from five communities in the area, including Ubeta, Okogbe, Okaki, Akinima, and Akoh.
The training was designed to reactivate and strengthen girls’ clubs across Ahoada West, Abua/Odual, and Emohua Local Government Areas, with a strong focus on ending harmful traditional practices and equipping participants with knowledge to improve their health, safety, and social wellbeing.
Throughout the three days, facilitators engaged the girls in interactive sessions covering a wide range of topics such as menstrual hygiene, puberty education, communication skills, gender-based violence, child rights, personal hygiene, emotional intelligence, and the importance of empathy and peer support. Particular attention was given to the dangers and long-term consequences of FGM, which experts described as a serious violation of the rights of women and girls.
One of the facilitators, child protection advocate, Inyingi Irimagha, specifically of the Child Protection Network(CPN), emphasised the need to challenge harmful cultural practices that negatively affect girls, noting that culture should evolve when it threatens human dignity and health.
UNICEF Desk Officer at the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Victor Iseberetonma, also stressed that empowering young girls with knowledge and confidence remains one of the most effective strategies for eliminating FGM.
He attributed the successful organisation of the programme to the doggedness and commitment demonstrated by UNICEF, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, and others in making sure that no stone was left unturned for the smooth take-off of the programme, and particularly thanked UNICEF for the great work it is doing in the State.
Other facilitators, including Mr Unah Uchenna and Miss Lucy Uzodinma shared similar sentiments, and called for total elimination of FGM in the society.
Many of the participants described the training as enlightening and transformative, saying, it exposed them to important life lessons they had never received before. One of the girls said the programme helped her understand not only the dangers of FGM but also how to support others emotionally.
“It has educated us about what is wrong, especially about FGM and other issues affecting girls.
“We learned how to talk to people, how to empathise, how to console someone, and how to make others feel relaxed and understood,” Morrow Onisokien Burebure said.
Another participant explained that the programme went beyond discussions on harmful practices to include personal development and daily living skills.
“We learned about our values and how we should live our lives,” she said. “They taught us about menstrual hygiene, how to use sanitary materials properly, how to keep our bodies clean, wash our hands, and how to be friendly even with people we don’t know,” said Dowel Victory Bakewari of Community Secondary School, Akinima.
The participants also pledged to become advocates for change in their communities. One of them stated that she would share the knowledge gained during the training with others back home.
“I will tell people about the effects of FGM and how to stop it.We need to create awareness so that people will understand why it should not continue,” Ake Beauty enthused.
Another participant noted that the training gave her a better understanding of her body and the responsibilities that come with adolescence.
“It is good because we were taught what we need to know about our bodies as girls,” she said. We learned things we should do and things we should not do, and the dangers of FGM. I will tell people in my community that they should stop practising it,” Ebere Testimony Kenneth of Akala-Olu Community Secondary School, Ula-Upata said.
Some participants also expressed appreciation to the organisers for bringing the programme to their in communities, describing it as a life-changing opportunity. One of them simply said, “We thank the organisers for what they have done so far. They have helped us learn things that will protect our future.”
Facilitators at the programme explained that FGM remains deeply rooted in cultural traditions in some communities, which makes sustained awareness and community engagement essential. They noted that while culture plays an important role in society, harmful practices must be abandoned once they are recognised as dangerous.
According to the organisers, the programme successfully met its objectives by equipping participants with practical knowledge, leadership skills, and the confidence needed to speak out against harmful practices. They emphasised that the girls trained would serve as peer educators and change agents within their communities.
The organisers furthermore reaffirmed their commitment to continuing advocacy in efforts, strengthening girls’ clubs, and expanding grassroots awareness campaigns across Rivers State.
As the programme came to a close, the atmosphere was filled with optimism and determination. For the young participants, the training was not just an educational exercise but a call to action — one that has placed them at the forefront of effort to protect the rights, health, and future of girls in their communities.
By: Donatus Ebi
