The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Foundation restores hope of jobless Bayelsans

    Foundation restores hope of jobless Bayelsans

    Victor Isiki has always looked for an opportunity to learn the art and science of paint production. Not satisfied as a mere painter, Isiki, who hails from Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, had wished to be an expert producer of paints, perhaps owning a manufacturing company.

    Coming from a poor background, Isiki, could not raise money to learn his favorite skill. He was once asked to pay N450,000 to learn the skill as an apprentice. At another time, Isiki was given a lower bill of about N150,000. Yet, he could not afford it. He gave up and resolved to continue his painting occupation.

    But his hope was rekindled recently when he heard of a training and skill acquisition programme organised in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, by the Robert Sunday Iworiso Foundation (RSIF) in conjunction with Helping Hands International (H2i), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). He was thrilled when he went through the list of skills lined up by the two foundations.

    Paint production was one of them. Other skills were perfume, disinfectant and liquid soap production, cake baking and bead making. Isiki leapt up in joy when he heard that the skill acquisition training was free. Participants were only required to attend the programme with only their writing materials.

    Isiki learnt that Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, paid for the training in partnership with H2i. The CPS founded the RSIF in his efforts to immortalise his late father and keep his vision for humanity alive. Just like his late father, H2i and RSIF share the same vision of empowering people and making them financially independent.

    So, a team of H2i known as Success Icon and led by Mrs. Abigail Odiegwu, mobilised expert trainers on skills of interest from Lagos to Yenagoa. The training lasted for three days. It was painstaking.

    In fact, youths, elderly men and women dutifully attended the programme. The venue was congested with trainees, who came prepared to take advantage of the opportunity. It was indeed a busy period and Isiki attended all the programmes.

    The trainees were happy to listen to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Development, Chief Saviour Ibegi, at the opening ceremony. Ibegi motivated them by going down memory lane to give them history of his humble beginning.

    Ibegi lauded the RSIF and H2i for the initiatives saying wealth creation remained the best way out of poverty. He recalled that the late Iworiso stood for hard-work and commended the CPS for sustaining the legacies of his late father.

    He said: “I knew the father of the chief press secretary. He was always found in the forest working. He was hardworking and he believed so much in empowering the people. This is the legacy his son is sustaining through his foundation. When you are good, your product will be good”.

    He said the skills acquired from the training were capable of transforming the beneficiaries into business moguls and advised the trainees to take their skills to the next levels.

    Addressing the trainees, he said: “See this as a big opportunity. From what you learn here, you can own a big manufacturing company. If a man comes up and asks you to create your own wealth, it looks impossible. It is just your mindset that will tel, you that it is impossible. But it works eventually. We have potential in all of you. Billionaires are wasting here”.

    The people listened attentively. But they were thrilled when Iworiso-Markson walked in and spoke to them. He gave them a brief history of his life and how he rose from Ajegunle, a notorious Lagos ghetto to prominence.

    He said he decided to engage and empower the youths and the jobless as the best way of honoring his late father. “I grew up in Ajegunle, but I made up my mind to work hard and here I am today”, he said.

    He said the late father worked very hard to train his children, but regretted he died when they needed him to enjoy the fruit of his labour. He told them that poverty remained the worst disease and charged them to break the shackles of want.

    Addressing them, he said: “If I can do it, you can do it too. Don’t be counted among the poor. Get rich for yourselves. There is nothing bad as having children and watching them thrown out of school because you cannot pay their school fees.

    “This is the reason why I partnered with H2i to bring this training to you. Today is your day of little beginning because in future you will be celebrated if you take this day seriously.

    “I am doing this in honour of my father because he was a very hardworking man. Today he is no more but I feel it is very important to keep his name alive by setting up this foundation to give back to the society just the same way he used to do.

    “I want to urge you not to allow your present situation to hinder you from getting to the top. There is no short cut to success so I appeal to you to be serious with this training. Don’t be counted among the poor”.

    The CPS promised to reward persons who came tops on their skills of choice. A  H2i Three-time Minister and Success Icon Leader, Mrs. Abigail Odiegwu, motivated the trainees.

    She said the training was motivated by a passion and love to empower people and make them self-reliant and financially independent. She said with such initiatives, the culture of begging would be eliminated in the society. According to her acquiring and applying basic skills would assist the government to diversify the economy.

    She thanked the CPS for the partnership and encouraged other NGOs, companies and spirited individuals to partner with H2i to eliminate poverty. She encouraged the trainees to apply their knowledge and become the solution to the diversifying the economy.

    “Instead of giving you fish, the chief press secretary in honour of his father has decided to teach you how to fish. The culture of begging will stop with this kind of initiative. We must commend the CPS for empowering the people”, she said.

    Also in his remarks, H2i Amabsaddor, Lucky Okpara, who was represented by the foundation’s Double Minister, Mr. Otega Samuel, said H2i was founded to help lift people from poverty and financial stress.

    He said the foundation renders humanitarian services, trade and skill acquisition, assets support services and scholarship services.

    Isiki listened and took up the challenge. He learnt paint production and on the last day of the event, he bought all the materials and decided to demonstrate what he learnt.

    The CPS, his wife and others in the audience watched as Isiki showcased his skills teaching them all the steps and stages of producing paints. He freely mentioned all the chemical names required in each process to the admiration of the crowd.

    “I was asked to pay a lot of money to learn this. But I have learnt it today without paying a dime. I will remain eternally grateful to the CPS and his foundation for this opportunity. The trainers from Helping Hands International did a great job”, he said.

    The CPS was moved and he immediately gave him a contract to produce paints for his three-bedroom bungalow. Others also came out to demonstrate the skills they learnt from the training. Many of them learnt liquid soap and perfume productions.

    Also of significance is Blessing Dirinagha. After the training, she started making and selling liquid soap and disinfectant. “I have started selling my products. I am grateful to the CPS and the H2i. Now, I am planning to go to Lagos to buy raw materials in large quantity to help me move my business forward”, she said.

  • Group tasks elected Urhobo lawmakers on transparency

    A group, the Urhobo Summit Group, has tasked its elected representatives from to be more accountable to the people.

    They urged elected representatives to frequently give account of their stewardship.

    Speaking at a summit in Asaba-the Delta State Capital, the group also canvassed the development of the Urhobo nation.

    It lamented that the Urhobo people have been relegated in terms of socio economic and political development, given its significant contribution to national development in the past five to six decades of the nation’s existence.

    The Urhobo summit, a non-political organisation, bemoaned the lack of feedback mechanism between elected representatives and constituents, charging them to act as a bridge between government and them.

    The group’s president, Professor Victor Jike bemoaned the dearth of federal infrastructure in Urhobo land and called for urgent steps to redress the injustice.

    According to him Sapele community, host to the Ogorode power station have no electricity supply.

    Other speakers at the event which included former Finance and Economic Planning Commissioner, Olorogun Kenneth Okpara, Dr Godwin Ogbegor of Delta State University Abraka and Omiragwa Henry Diejamaoh were unanimous in their view that the teeming youths of Urhobo land should be empowered.

    They also advocated for skills acquisition and capacity building for youths, urging elected Urhobo representatives to chart the way forward and do the needful by proposing development models.

  • Dirt,street trading take over Benin City’s King Square

    Dirt,street trading take over Benin City’s King Square

    The Benin City centre, which was renamed Oba Ovoranmen Square by the Adams Oshiomhole administration, is popularly called Ring Road. It was previously known as the King Square. All roads leading to Benin City from the east, west, north or south terminated at the Ring Road. Some of the roads were part of the nine ancient roads that led to Benin when it was capital of the ancient Benin Kingdom.

    The Ring Road was the place where the colonial masters used to hold court. It served as place for soldiers’ recruitment during the colonial days. It was there the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia was recruited into the military after he watched a military parade at the field. It was rebuilt to its present status by Dr. Ogbemudia when he became military administrator. Where the field used to be now houses the Benin Musuem.

    The Bank of Nigeria, the Oba’s Palace, Urhokpota hall, and some banks are located around the Ring Road. Adjoining roads to the Ring Road are Akpakpava, Mission, Forestry, Sokponba, Siluko, Ekenwan, Airport and Sapele.

    Before the coming of Oshiomhole’s administration, the Ring Road and adjoining streets were in terrible state. There was heavy traffic congestion, refuse heaps littered the roads, and walking the Ring Road was a thing of fear due to robbery attacks and activities of pick pockets. It was in fact a smelling environment as motor parks were located at every junction of the road.

    Peeved by the sorry state of the Ring Road and adjoining roads, former Governor Oshiomhole invested massively on road infrastructure and urban renewal project. His argument was that Benin City is home to every Edo man and woman and as such the city center should bear the semblance of a modern city. To restore the beauty of the Ring Road, Oshiomhole sacked all motor-parks around the Ring Road, including the one owned by Chief Osamede Adun popularly known as Bob Izua. He reconstructed all roads leading to the Ring Road to dual carriage ways with walk ways and street lights. A water fountain worth N200m was built at the Ring Road.

    Youths were employed under the Edo YES initiative to stop street trading. Commercial bus drivers were barred from driving into the Ring Road. Several gardens were created around the Ring Road and bore holes were sunk to serve as a source of water for the flowers during the dry season. Opposition parties accused the Oshiomhole administration of using state’s fund to plant grasses, built water fountain and boreholes whereas the people lacked water to drink.

    The Ring Road became a beauty to behold. The street lighting around the Ring Road restored people’s confidence to walk around the place without fears of being robbed. The gardens created around the Ring Road and the Water Fountain attracted thousands of people to the Ring Road during festive period. The usual heavy traffic was reduced and driving around the Ring Road was an excitement.

    Today, the Ring Road is now in a sorry state. The money spent to beautify the place appears to have been wasted. Workers previously employed to water the grasses and flowers are nowhere to be seen. Gardens created in front of institutions, such as the House of Assembly, Central Hospital, First Bank are unkempt. Rails erected around many of the gardens have been destroyed. Many of the flower pots in adjoining streets are without flowers. Pavements in the adjoining streets now serve as refuse dumps.

    Walk ways meant for pedestrians around the Ring Road are now used by traders for display of all kinds of wares. Destitute have found abode at some of the once beautiful gardens while the musical Water Fountain is usually on once in a week. The Ring Road Oshiomhole rebuilt and today’s Ring Road are worlds apart.

    Besides, heavy chaotic traffic has returned to the Ring Road because of activities of commercial bus drivers and street traders. It is now hell to drive through the Ring Road.

    During his several inspections of projects, former Governor Oshiomhole personally arrested traders that displayed wares on the walkways. He ordered seizure of vehicles causing heavy traffic because the people he entrusted duties failed because of monies collected from the traders and drivers.

    In February, the state government commenced enforcement of the ‘Project Clean up Edo’ which saw the arrest and prosecution of many traders caught displaying their wares on the walk ways. The traders were charged under section 10, sub-section C of Edo State sanitation and Pollution Management Law No 5, 2010 and section 203 of the Criminal Code and were fined between N5000 and N20,000.

    Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki Taiwo Akerele recently told reporters that that State government would soon roll out its programme to keep the city clean, especially the Ring Road.

    During a strategic dialogue meeting on “Setting Agenda for the new administration”, among the six thematic areas Obaseki planned to focus on are Economic Revolution, Culture and Tourism, Environmental Sustainabilty, Welfare Enhancement, Infrastructure Development and Institutional Reform.

    To further prove his determination to keep the clean, Obaseki gathered experts at a two-day workshop to brainstorm on how to keep the State clean. Edo State has assured the people of his administration’s determination to make Edo the cleanest state in Nigeria.

    A former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, who chaired the workshop, said investors are attracted to states where the environment is clean.

    He noted that efforts to make Edo State a reference point for environmental sustainability might be unachievable without support and partnership from private organisations and individual input.

    Duke said the government’s policies on environment would be inefficient if the people were not properly carried along.

    He said: “Government may come up with all sorts of policies, but if the people you gather do not take ownership of the policies, the system would not work. The people must appreciate what you are doing, believing that it is good for them. It should not only be the government’s programme, but also theirs.”

    The coming months will tell if Obaseki can restore the Ring Road as dreamt by Oshiomhole or make it a world class city centre.

  • Lest we forget Uyo tragedy

    Lest we forget Uyo tragedy

    For the sake of tomorrow, for the sake of the deceased and for the sake of posterity, the report of the enquiry into the Uyo tragedy must be made public. Those found guilty must be punished to serve as deterrent to others. If the report is swept under the carpet for whatever reason, ground is being prepared for another shoddy job capable of leading to another disaster.

    A radio station, Planet Radio, woke me up from slumber a few days ago. It donated N3.4 million to support 54 victims of the Reigners Bible Church building collapse in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. The beneficiaries include: those mortally injured, those still receiving treatment, those who have been healed to some extent and relatives of the deceased.

    This news item reminded me that we seem to have moved on five months after the church came down and took Josephine Effiom and several others in the tragedy in which Governor Udom Emmanuel survived by the grace of God. The report of the enquiry into the tragedy remains hush-hush. Have Effiom and others gone in vain?

    Effiom, who was a polytechnic student, a friend said, “was one of the first three brilliant chaps in my class”. Her seat at the polytechnic lecture theatre is now occupied by another, a sad reminder to her course mates that a brilliant soul had been wasted.

    Effiom is the face of a tragedy in a house of God, where fear should have been the last thing on anyone’s mind. The founder of the church was to have his ordination as a bishop. He is not a small fry. So, the church was jam-packed. Emmanuel came with some of his commissioners and aides. Some of the commissioners were new in the State Executive Council at the time having been sworn-in December 1, last year.

    Thirty minutes into the governor’s arrival hell literally came down. No thanks to human error, the church’s iron pillars gave way and the blue roofs came thumping down. Of course on people! And Effiom died. And many others too. An account even said someone was cut into two by the iron pillars. A policeman who reportedly saved the governor is now six feet below. And some others broke their necks, their limbs and their back. The founder of the church, Pastor Akan Weeks, had his leg broken.

    As typical of our nation, no one appears sure of how many people died. The day after, we saw figures as high as 160 in the media. It was attributed to the Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, who later denied it. Police gave the figure as 29.

    Commissioner for Health Dr.  Dominic Ukpong said 26 people died in the unfortunate incident. His words: “Death toll now 26. Patients in the hospitals are 168. Total out patients are 50. Total deaths 26. Nine hospitals have the following patients. UUTH, 28 patients; Ibom Specialist Hospital Uyo, 70 patients; Sifon Clinic, 9 patients; Lifecare Clinic, 24 patients; Premiers Clinic, 9 patients; St Lukes Hospital, 22 patients; Gateway Medical Centre, 2 patients; Uwah Mfon Clinic, 1 patient. First Line Clinic, 1 patient. Alma Clinic and Surgery, 2 patients.”

    And no one is willing to give the names of the dead. Thanks to Effiom’s classmates who revealed her identity, she would have died anonymously! Now, she is the face of the Uyo tragedy that should not have been.

    This tragedy turned the University of Uyo Teaching hospital (UUTH), Anua General Hospital, Life Care Hospital and the Ibom Specialist Hospital into Mecca of some sort. In these hospitals, those who defeated death received treatment to heal their broken necks, arms, back and heads. Tears from families of those recuperating now rented the air in these hospitals for weeks. The story at the mortuary sections of these hospitals was grimmer.

    For students of the University of Uyo and the Uyo City Polytechnic, which are believed to have been worst hit by the disaster, reality looked like dream.

    Emmanuel’s men who crawled out of death’s hole had interesting testimonies to share. His Chief Press Secretary, Ekerette Udoh, said an iron rod nearly cut his neck, but eventually hit him on the back. The cap of his left knee was broken and pains travelled all over his body.

    The commissioner for Information, Charles Udoh who joined the State Executive Council only some one week earlier, thought he was watching a movie when the pillars started coming down. He was on his way out of the church to catch a flight when tragedy struck. He would have been out but protocol demanded that he told the governor before vanishing from the church hall. It was this protocol-induced task he was accomplishing when death almost took him away like Effiom and the others whose true figures and names we may never know. He had to run here and there to prevent the iron pillars from turning him to a candidate for the mortuary.

    Nollywood actor Ekere Nkanga, who had acted almost all roles imaginable and was some sort of bad man in Emem Isong’s Weekend Getaway, was humbled when he had to wade through bodies to safety.

    “Shortly after the governor and his entourage and the bishops took their seats, the next thing I heard was the bang from the falling iron. By the time the iron came down, I noticed that people from the safe areas were  running to the centre, where I was sitting,” he said, adding:  “I hid under some people. A few seconds later, as I was trying to get up, the body of a man cut into two and fell on me. There were other corpses on me. I looked out for my brother but I couldn’t find him. Later, I found my phone. I called the Chairman, Uyo Local Government Area, to mobilise rescue officials to the venue.”

    He managed not to have a direct impact with falling rods, but he later discovered his neck was broken.

    “The impact of diving must have been responsible for my broken neck,” he said.

    He had to wear a neck collar and was under observation in the hospital for some time. Effiom and others would have gladly given testimonies if Nkanga’s fate had befallen them.

    The governor immediately set up a panel to probe the disaster that could have claimed his life. Pastor Weeks argued it was the devil fighting back and he urged Christians to unite and not see it as his battle alone. My argument at the time was that we must give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and give unto God what is God’s. I also pleaded that the fleeing contractor must account for this tragedy, which the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) said was caused by shoddiness.

    Five months down the line, we are yet to get the report of the enquiry into the Reigners Bible Church Int’l Inc tragedy.

    My final take: For the sake of tomorrow, for the sake of the deceased and for the sake of posterity, the report of the enquiry into the Uyo tragedy must be made public. Those found guilty must be punished to serve as deterrent to others. If the report is swept under the carpet for whatever reason, ground is being prepared for another shoddy job capable of leading to another disaster. This certainly is not what we need in Akwa Ibom or anywhere in Nigeria.

     

    And Calabar’s tragedy

    of passion

    Football is a game of passion. Its fans are always passionate. There have been instances when fans stabbed each other or killed each other out of passion. It was passion that led Man United fans to a viewing centre under a high-tension wire in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, last Thursday. The wire gave way some minutes into the game and fell on the viewers. Initial reports said as much as thirty died while savouring their passion. It has since turned out that this figure is highly exaggerated. About ten are confirmed dead.

    Since the tragedy, there have been talks about banning viewing centres, but for the passion for the game, fans are ready to resist any move against communal viewing of the leather game. Talk about being passionate about one’s passion.

    May God grant the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear the losses, and may their passion for the game not die with their loved ones.

  • ‘Oil subsidy scammers nurturing vandalism, militancy, crude oil theft’

    The oil subsidy scammers, who benefitted immensely from fake importation of petroleum products are nurturing vandalism,  militancy, crude oil theft and the unwarranted disruptions in the sector, to the level being witnessed, especially in the Niger Delta.

    The disclosure was made yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by the Convener of the Second Edition of the Save Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry (SNOAGI) Roundtable, Dr. Brown Ogbeifun.

    The roundtable was organised by the African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability and Responsible Leadership (AFRITAL).

    Project SNOAGI was launched last year, as a veritable platform for bringing stakeholders together to interact, brainstorm and make prescriptions on how to improve the efficiency of the oil and gas operations, thereby assisting government in bringing sanity to the sector.

    Ogbeifun said: “Most of the motherless US Dollars,  British Pounds, Euro and Naira found in wardrobes, farms and soak-away pits are definitely primary or secondary products of mismanaged oil funds, which might explain why the oil industry has witnessed gross underdevelopment.

    “The revelations emanating from the Malabu oil deal, the brazen cash withdrawals from oil money accounts to pursue non-value addition to the good of our hydrocarbon development are indeed very sad.

    “There is no doubt that there has been lack of investors’ confidence in the oil industry, as policies and laws that would have protected their investments are not seriously addressed.

    “The issues of over regulation through multiple regulatory agencies, multiple taxation, global and local oil politics have made it an intractable possibility for Nigeria to reach it’s optimum productivity.”

    The convener also stated that Nigeria was ripe enough to be self sufficient in producing all the necessary derivatives from crude oil.

    Ogbeifun noted that compounding the parlous state of the oil and gas sector came the sabotaging of the pipelines by the militants, which he insisted almost crippled operations in the sector.

    He said: “Paradoxically, we export our crude oil and create refining capacities for other economies, at the detriment of the Nigerian state. Why must we continue to export our mineral resources in exchange for finished products in the oil and gas industry?

    “Our leaders have consistently displayed lack of political will to drive the transformation imperatives to a logical conclusion. That is why we are still talking of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 17 years after it started its journey.

    “No country treats its critical reforms the way we do. Not passing the PIB has led to losses in trillions of naira, loss of investment opportunities, inability to realise our optimum capacity utilisation and the inability to end gas flaring, which was to have ended in 2008.

    “The PIB might not be a perfect document, just as it is all over the world. All we need is an enduring dialogue process and the will of steel by government to drive the process to its logical conclusion. No matter the drawbacks, the PIB contains many sections that would have greatly enhanced the hydrocarbon potential of Nigeria.”

    The convener also stated that mediation was very effective in the resolution of knotty conflicts, while pleading that the ongoing dialogue process between top officials of the Federal Government and Niger Delta militants/leaders should be sustained.

    He noted that while government was seeking solutions to all the challenges in the Niger Delta, all parties should sheathe their swords,  show good faith and respect for one another, declaring that no meaningful development would take place in an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy.

    Ogbeifun added that the pronouncements of the Federal Government’s top officials on the setting up of modular refineries in the Niger Delta and the open confession that the crude oil and gas-rich region deserved a better deal, showed that there were still honourable men in the corridors of power in Nigeria.

  • Glamour as Nembe kingdom replaces dead chiefs

    Glamour as Nembe kingdom replaces dead chiefs

    Nembe is no doubt the most organised kingdom in Bayelsa State. The kingdom predates the colonial era and the birth of Nigeria as a country. The Nembe kingdom was famous for their bravery and courage in dealing with the colonial masters including confronting them with their war canoes.

    Apart from their rich history, the Nembe people have one of the most revered traditional stools in the state known as the Mingi and occupied by the Amayanabo. There is something unique about the kings that sit on the Mingi throne. They radiate eminence and exude uncommon personality. They are distinguished royal breeds with unequaled records in scholarship, public service, politics and culture.

    The current and the 12th Mingi, His Eminence, King Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru, a one-time Petroleum Minister, has attained excellence in academics; distinguished himself in his career and paid all his dues in public service before sitting on the exalted throne. He also doubles as the Chairman of the South-South Traditional Rulers Council. Little wonder, he is loved and respected by his people.

    In fact, Nembe has no place for miscreants, thugs and illiterates in their council of chiefs known as the Amayanabo-in-Council. Chiefs are elected from the 14 traditionally recognised group of chieftaincy houses. Nobody, outside the 14 War Canoe Chieftaincy Houses, goes to Nembe to take a chieftaincy title. It is not awarded to the highest bidder.

    Their chiefs are successful individuals. Among them are captains of industries, academics, excellent politicians, retired army generals, consultants, contractors and businessmen. They speak impeccable English Language but for the love of their culture, they conduct most of their traditional ceremonies in Nembe dialect.

    For instance, the making of a chief in Nembe is done in the local dialect. Recently, four distinguished sons of Nembe were elevated to the position of chiefs. Two of them, Chief Benjamin Ben-Dikuro and Chief Joel Robert were from the Kulo-Koko group of houses while Chief Thomas Kuku and Chief Tonye Ojoko were from the Amain and Amange-Ojoko groups of houses. They were elected and screened to occupy vacant chieftaincy stools following death of their former occupants from the affected houses.

    The installation ceremony was colourful. Chiefs in their full regalia and paraphernalia of offices were on parade. The various regalia, flowing garments of multiple colours, competed for space. Sons and daughters from Nembe including their political office holders abandoned their businesses in the city to witness the ceremony.

    Canopies were mounted in a semi-circular venue and the chiefs-elect sat according to their houses. At the centre was a special platform created for the Amayanabo and the head Chiefs. The presence of the Amayanabo was felt and all in attendance stood in reverence.

    The king with his queen walked in his majesty led by palace servants into the venue. He was hailed by his subjects. Praise singers, women of odes, were his forerunners. The sun blazed but it had no effect on the Amayanabo and his queen as they were protected by a mighty umbrella carried diligently by male servants. A big bell suspended on a well-carved piece of wood, a symbol of his presence, announced the grand arrival of the king.

    The king took his position among the head Chiefs. A priest offered prayers and the event kicked off. In his opening remarks, the Alternate Chairman of the Chief Council, Navy Capt. Walter Feghabo-Amain (retd) described the event as epoch-making. He said apart from the installation of the Chiefs, the Amayanabo would for the first time recognise traditional rulers of satellite towns.

    Feghabo, a former Military Administrator of Ebonyi and Delta states said a grand ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of King Daukoru, the occupant of the oldest stool in Bayelsa, would soon hold in Nembe. “We are proud of what we have”, he said.

    After the opening remarks, the centre of the venue was cleared for colorfully-dressed praise singers. They sang and some elegant chiefs stood and danced to their rhythms in the admiration of the king. Canons boomed at the background and a lawyer, Mr. Bright Ereware, was invited to administer oaths of office on the chiefs-elect.

    The elected chiefs stood before their king and took their oaths. They were chalked on their foreheads by the Amayanabo who handed each of them an umbrella. It was a painstaking and a thorough process. All of them deceived equal treatment from their king. All the installed chiefs went round and shook hands with their old colleagues seated under various canopies.

    Then it was time for the traditional rulers, the Amadabos, of various satellite towns to present themselves to the king for recognition and certification. They received their certificates from the king who also festooned royal beads round their wrists.

    But the king has some words for the installed chiefs and recognised traditional rulers. He appealed to them not to be headstrong and aloof from their people because of oil money. He asked them to use their connections to bring development instead of division in their various domains.

    He asked the new chiefs to place the interest of their people ahead of their personal interests. He said the chiefs should be happy for being worthy and qualified to replace the dead ones. He reminded them of the implications of failing to discharge their responsibilities adding that their actions were being monitored in the spirit.

    He reeled out some of the challenges of the community including lack of electricity and asked the new leaders to assist the old ones in realising the needs of the people. He spoke on the controversies surrounding the Nembe creek flow station and asked his people to fight hard to regain “what is rightfully theirs”.

    He said: “Remember the oath of office you have taken. It is important because it is a service to the humanity. There are certain things you should not do in the interests of the community”.

    Also one of newly installed leader, Chief Ojoko said he owed his allegiance to the Mingi stool and the kingdom. He said: “We owe allegiance to the Mingi and the kingdom. We are supposed to work for the welfare of the kingdom.

    “We are the leaders and whatever the kingdom requires of us we are are supposed to be available for the kingdom. So I offer myself for the kingdom. So, I am here to serve and to lead. I am here for everybody”.

    The traditional rulers, who received their certificate of recognition from the king were His Highnesses Ebi Howells, Amadabo of Etiema; Gelegukuma Apiri, Amadabo of Elepa; Kemmer Igbeta, Amadabo of Nembe Creek; Okiri Saw, Amadabo of Ibo; Ebi Eluke III, Amadabo of Kiminimi; Ebi Ombuyai VII, Amanabo of Igbeta-Ewoama and Ebi Renner, Amadabo of Okokiri.

  • ‘Cross River could lose its forests in 20 years’

    ‘Cross River could lose its forests in 20 years’

    Cross River State could completely lose its forests in 20 years if something is not urgently done about the rate of deforestation, Programme Coordinator of Wise Administration of Terrestrial Environment (WATER), Chief Edwin Ogar has warned.

    Ogar expressed this fear after an awareness workshop on climate change organized by WATER and supported by the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and Mainyotto Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO), for five forest communities in the state. They were Agoi Ekpo, Agoi Ibami, Etarra, Ekuri and Okokori communities.

    Ogar said, “Basically why we are doing climate change awareness creation in these communities is that they are not really aware about climate issues. They have low understanding of what climate is all about and what climate change and that is why the present change of climate is attributed to witchcraftcy whereas it is not so. Climate change is human induced and they have to also intervene and reduce climate change in their respective communities. So we are here to educate them what climate change is all about in a participatory manner. So that the communities will begin to know what are the causes of climate change. From the trainings we have done for five days now, goes to show that the communities are getting to know what are the reasons they are climate change.

    “Why the climate has changed is because of deforestation. It is because the forests that are expected to regulate the climate are very, very small and it can no longer help to regulate the climate as it used to be in the last 50 to 100 years. And they know they have contributed to this by cutting down the forest for farming, doing logging business and also doing degradation in the forest. Though they know it is not only logging that causes the problem, on their own they can contribute to the reduction of climate change by doing a land use plan for their community forest as well as trying to regenerate the forest naturally and not by planting trees. Planting trees would not regenerate the forest. There are so many species that make up the forest, so if you are planting and some of these species cannot be planted by humans except through natural consequence. So they realize that the best way to regenerate the forest is to allow it regenerate naturally. So far we have trained 550 community participants in the five communities.

    “If measures are not put in place to ensure the protection of our forests and they continue to exploit the forests in an unsustainable manner, in the next 20 years the forests in the state could be lost completely if no effective measures are taken by government and international development partners to ensure that communities have a sustainable livelihood through a diversified income generation activities that would definitely reduce pressure on the forests. Else the forest would not be found anymore in the next 20 years. It would aggravate climate and the impact such as flooding, low agricultural productivity, diseases and so on. It would mean disaster especially for the rural communities that are so poor. So in the next 20 years it would be a disaster if nothing is done to ensure that the forest dependent communities have a diversified income source that will hugely reduce pressure on the forest. The forests will go.”

    Clan Head of Agoi Ekpo, Attah-Ikum Oyira Onong, expressed gratitude for the training and expressed the determination of his community o continue to preserve the forests.

    A clan head of a community in Agoi Akpama, Chief Ayene Ayitu Akpama, also expressed their resolve to keep the forests intact, but begged the government to provide basic amenities as water and roads for their community, as well as provide alternative sources of livelihood to reduce their dependence on the forests.

     

  • Warri Boys elect exco

    The Chief Executive Officer, Godswill Fisheries International Limited, Mr. Godwin Okene,  is the new President of Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association. He emerged at an election held at Lounge Bar in Lekki, Lagos.

    Others elected are: Assistant Financial Secretary Frank Chibgu, Financial Secretary Ovie Oghenekaro, Public Relations Officer  Patrick Okorosobo, Welfare Officer John Holt  Oloho, Vice President Gbeni Arueyingho,  BoT member Pius Enakerakpo, Legal Officer Emmanule Umoren, BoT Chairman Austin Anianu, BoT  Secretary Martins Nomuoja,  Treasurer Doran Ayi and Assistant Secretary  Christian Aburime.

    Okene, who was excited with the new position, said: ”I am very happy with the confidence reposed in me by members of the association and I promise to do my best for the association and the Warri community”.

    He said  the task of building sustainable peace and development of Niger Delta was urgent and all stakeholders must get their hands dirty to work for the good of the people.

    He said: “We will be organising clean up Warri programmes in schools, markets and other public places on a regular basics and we hope that the people will imbibed the culture of a clean environment.”

    Okene, who applauded the recent pronouncement made by the Vice President  Yemi Osibanjo that all international oil companies should relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta, said it was a welcome development that would go a long way in bringing the much-anticipated peace and development in the area.

    ‘’We are ready to partner with the Delta State government on every programme that would help to uplift the suffering of the poor in the area’’, he said.

    The outgoing President of the association, Pius Enakerakpo, said the peaceful atmosphere recorded in election of its new President was commendable.

    He implored the members to follow up with the legacy of peace, unity and developmental programmes he embarked upon to make Warri great again.

    He appealed to the Delta State government to work with members of the association who are industrialists and are willing to build industries and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the area.

  • ‘Ikom people should be more involved in the cocoa business’

    An aspirant to the chairmanship of Ikom local government area in Cross River State, Mr Ogar Ebolom, has promised to ensure the people of the area get more involved in the cocoa business if he wins the council elections.

    Ebolom said it was unfortunate that the local government area which is notable for cocoa farming; yet the people of the area were not as involved in the money spinning business as they should.

    The 35-year old graduate of Geology from the University of Calabar, said if given the opportunity to serve as chairman, he would besides reinvigorate the involvement of the people on cocoa business, also boost the Internally Generated Revenue potential of the business.

    Ebolom, who said he was a businessman, said it had always been his desire to be chairman of the local government.

    “As far back as 2011, I was chief protocol officer and SA on International donor support to chairman of Ikom local government area and in that position I was able to liaise with an international donor to attract projects to my community, whereby the grace of God we have a standard six classroom block, a culvert and VIP toilets for my community.

    “I have decided to contest the forthcoming local government election. It has been a dream for me since I was far younger. I am 35 now. So as I talk today, the decision is something I have always dreamt up. If given the opportunity I would serve my people well and leave a lasting legacy.

    “Considering the dwindling nature of funds made available to local governments, you have a lot of donor agencies that government at that level can liaise with to attract a lot of meaningful development to their constituency or to their people. SA, I was able to carry my people along and convince them why they should take counterpart funding in that project and when they did they were happy. We didn’t have a secondary school before in my community. But as we speak now, we have a standard six-classroom block.

    “As a businessman I have the mentality of always wanting to succeed and I think if I am given the opportunity to be chairman, I would bring the business mentality to running the local government as it is. Considering what we have in Ikom, it is supposed to be the business hub and economic nerve centre of Cross River and as chairman, want to have Ikom local government listed among the committee of local governments across Nigeria. So when you are talking about local governments like Okrika, Warri, Onitsha and some local governments in Lagos State, I think Ikom should be listed among them. We have cocoa in Ikom. On year basis several billions of naira enter Ikom as a result of the cocoa trade and our people in Ikom have not been able to be part of this business. 90 percent of the funds that enter the local government is ferried out. I would make us part of the business. I would harness the IGR part of this business. The time has come when a local government can sustain itself by improving its IGR. To see how the IGR can be beefed up and used to develop Ikom and not just waiting for what you get from the Federal Government,” he said.

  • Delta: Association wants private sector’s involvement in infrastructural drive

    The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Delta chapter, has appealed to the Delta State Government to involve the private sector in the development of the state’s infrastructural drive.

    The association’s Vice Chairman, Mr Paul Akporowho, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Warri that the private sector was more driven by merit and excellence than the public sector.

    Akporowho said several projects had failed to be completed in the state because successive governments failed to involve competent hands, especially, those in the private sector.

    “The Delta State Government should take a clue from the Lagos State Government’s Public, Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.

    “The private sector is driven by merit and excellence. You cannot remain in business if you don’t consider merit in your work; so to achieve a result-oriented project, you need the private sector.

    “Government should stop depending solely on professional bodies in the civil service for project implementation. It must ensure that those in the private sector are carried along since two heads are better than one,” he said.

    Akporowho who is also the National Secretary, Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), said that lack of good policy formulation was responsible for the infrastructural deficit in Delta and called for a review.

    “When you don’t have policies that are well structured and driven by competent persons to deliver the service, what you have is failure.

    “For instance, the failure of the drainage system in Delta today is a manifestation of the total collapse of ethics, merit and abandonment of sanity in the award of contracts,” he said.

    The environmentalist said private professional bodies needed to be involved in the execution of government projects to engender checks and balances.