The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Ebonyi community gets electricity, first time ever

    Ebonyi community gets electricity, first time ever

    The long days of darkness are over. Since it was founded, Okpuma never had electricity. Now it does, and its residents are relishing the sweet relief.

    The fact that Okpuma in Edda East Development Centre of Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State was never connected to the national grid reveals the poor condition of rural dwellers, but it also highlights the need for the Federal Government to sustain the third tier of government in the country.

    Until recently, nobody knew that the people of Okpuma in Amangwu community in Edda East Development Centre had never enjoyed public power since their community came into existence. But the story changed when the state governor Martin Elechi appointed Mr Kenneth Eseni as the Coordinator of the development centre in the area.

    Mr Eseni, a journalist and former General Manager in charge of South East operations of Daar Communications Plc, operators of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Daarsat, is of the school of thought that developmental initiatives and provision of infrastructural facilities should not be concentrated in a particular geographical zone but rather allowed to spread evenly across all nooks and crannies of the state.

    The community was marginalised by previous administrations which seemed only interested in the residents’ votes, not meeting their needs.

    In a chat with th reporter, Eseni said the council approved the sum of N9 million for the electrification project.

    He said: “This community never had electricity since the creation of the world. They have never had light all through their history; since the creation of humanity, this community has never seen public electricity. It is not that they had light and it went down; they have never seen public electricity; whatever light they have seen was through power generating sets.

    “We are taking this light from the high tension that is running from Amasiri down to Amangwu because we feel that this community has been so long neglected by previous administrations and we feel that their socio-economic life needed be turned around.

    “Since Amangwu community where Okpuma belongs to already has light, it is just morally justifiable that we give Okpuma light, and after this project we are moving power to Asaga from Amangwu; we are extending it from the high tension from Amangwu to Asaga via Owutu.

    “We have for some time now seen that Owutu took light from the Unwana axis and the power supply there has been quite epileptic to the extent that for several months, they don’t have light. The Amasiri-Amangwu route is more reliable and our people are clamouring for a better power supply. That is why our administration through the directive of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi has concentrated much of our capital into this kind of project.

    “We see rural electrification as a key project that will turn around the economy of Edda East Development Centre and that is why we intend extending it from Amangwu through Asaga to Owutu and of course we will move into other parts of Edda east development centre. I can assure you that this project will be completed after the next ten days.

    “We identify the projects we want to execute and do appropriate costing and also categorise them so as to know those that are capital intensive and those that are routine.

    Maintenance of roads is a routine project, so we don’t really see them as capital intensive. Now from day one, we started saving; like this electrification project that is N9 million, you can’t just remove the cash from the monthly allocation at once, so we have to save it”.

    Expressing joy over the electrification project, a community leader in the area, Sunday Ogbonnaya, stated that the project was a welcome development.

    “Previous administrations have been coming to us with their campaign promises without fulfilling them but this young man between one to three months in office said enough was enough on lack of power in our community.

    “I’m very happy over this project; I say this project is sweeter than sugar for us in this community; we are happy. I’m reminding those in political office to emulate what our Coordinator is doing for us here. The Coordinator has brought democracy dividend to us and we are happy. Politicians occupying various positions should use their office to assist the poor and downtrodden masses like you. We are located at the boundary between Afikpo North and South LGAs of the state.

    “With this light, water will come; the youths and aged among us have promised that the materials will be secured; we are 100 percent prepared to ensure that all the materials for this project are adequately protected,” he assured.

  • Peace returns to communtiy, five months after

    Peace returns to communtiy, five months after

    Not many communities were more peaceful in Ebonyi Statel. Then, it was all gone, replaced by mayhem the residents never knew. Thankfully, peace is back in Okposi after five months of youth-induced crisis.

    The community is one of three major towns that make up Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state, the other two being Ugwulangwu and Uburu.

    Okposi was one of the most peaceful towns in Ebonyi State until about five months ago when the community was literally turned upside down by a group of renegade youths sometimes called cult groups.

    These groups unleashed such mayhem never before witnessed in the area that indigenous people of the community resident in other cities and urban centres stopped coming back.

    In about five months, about four persons where killed in various violent clashes that erupted in the area with many others maimed. Even the police station in the area was also affected as it was vandalised by the rampaging youths.

    The then coordinator of the area, did not help matters as he was said to have not taken the mater seriously. Some even accused him of complicity in the crisis as he was believed to be the sponsor of one of the groups responsible for the crisis.

    Miffed by the failure of the coordinator to tackle the security challenges in his area, the State governor, Martin Elechi in March sacked the coordinator and replaced him with a renowned journalist and public relations expert, Mr Magnus Eze.

    Magnus Eze’s appointment as the coordinator did not come to many as a surprise. He was one of the few indigenes of the area who, during the heat of the crisis, continued going home despite threats to his life. He also initiated peace moves to restore peace in the area, which was known as the mezie okposi movement which mans rebuilding or reclaiming Okposi.

    So his appointment as the coordinator, to many in the community was a welcome development. Since his appointment, The Nation can report that peace has returned to the community.

    The cs oordinator on assumption of office urged indigenes of Okposi to embrace peace; maintaining that no development could be achieved in crisis situation.

    Speaking at a reception organised at Enuakwa, headquarters of the Development Centre to mark his official taking-over ceremony and assumption of office, the Coordinator, Eze said the community had been ravaged by hoodlums, appealing to the youth to be more productive instead of taking to violence and other social vices.

    Eze disclosed that in restoring peace and security of lives and property to the Development Centre, he would hold strategic meetings with the respective stakeholders including youth, women, community leaders, artisans, traders, traditional institutions as well as security agencies.

    “The core mandate given to me by my boss, His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Chief Martin Elechi is to restore peace in Okposi as a whole, not just the Development Centre. In doing this, our focus will be in reconciling the people; healing the wounds of our recent ugly past. We will endeavour to engender public confidence through consensus-building. We must restore Okposi people’s trust in government,” the coordinator explained.

    He charged the Church to rise up to its billing in reorienting the youths through inculcation of sound moral values.

    The coordinator in his bid to achieve lasting peace also called a meeting of leaders of thoughts in the community, of Okposi Ezi-N’asato Clan in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    The leaders met and after exhaustive deliberations on recent ugly happenings in the community noted with serious concern that although, crime may never be eradicated completely from any society but the sudden rise of crime in the community from a once peaceful and almost crime-free community to a den of criminals and home to highly militant youths calls for concerted efforts by all well-meaning Okposi indigenes and government at all levels including the security agencies.

     They also held that that the timely change of leadership at Okposi Development Centre with the appointment of Mr. Magnus Eze as Coordinator by the Ebonyi State Governor, His Excellency, Chief Martin N. Elechi,  is a step in the right direction, highly welcome and commendable.

     And having carefully taken critical x-ray of all the issues; the meeting hereby resolved as follows: that

     “That the two Coordinators of Okposi and Anuagata Development Centres in Okposi Ezin’asato should liaise with the traditional institutions and Development Unions of the three Autonomous Communities to ensure the security of lives and properties in Okposi Ezin’asato”.

     “That the abduction and gruesome murder of Elder Ihebunandu Okorie, former Coordinator of Okposi Development Centre is a big blow not only to Okposi Ezin’asato but to the entire Ebonyi state and therefore urge the Ebonyi State Government and the security agencies concerned to ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly act are brought to book no matter how highly placed the person or group of persons may be”.

      The group also called on all well-meaning sons and daughters of Okposi Ezin’asato to support the efforts of government at all levels in ensuring the peace and security of lives and properties in Okposi Ezin’asato and its environs.

     Furthermore, “we urge parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children and wards to avoid their conscription into the social miscreant gangs”.

    “We decry the attitude of some politicians who use our youths as thugs to perpetrate violence and criminal activities in the community and urge them to desist forthwith as no stone shall be left un-turned to unmask them’, the leaders concluded.

    The coordinator also recently embarked on a familiarization and security awareness tour of the development centre.

    These include town hall meetings and needs assessment as well as courtesy call on traditional rulers in the area to solicit for their support.

    The traditional ruler of Mgbom N’Achara, Ezeogo Asu UdeOgu speaking when the coordinator paid him a vist advised Mr. Eze to involve all stakeholders of the ancient Okposi town and iron out best ways to stem the sudden out burst of heinous crimes and other social vices that has threatened the peaceful coexistence of the people of Okposi.

    The campaign saw the coordinator visiting the four wards in Okposi DC namely Amichi, Obiozara, Mgbom and Echara , and the 12 villages.

    According to him, “the Mezie Okposi train has taken off,  which is the focus of our administration. We have come to reclaim Okposi, we have come to rescue, and then rebuild it.

    “Prior to this period the people had almost lost faith in government to the level that maybe if the government had called on the people the people would have not heeded the call. So the governor’s action and pronouncement gave rise to this new lease of life, have given birth to hope to the people today. Our driving focus is to see how we can through advocacy make the people to have faith in government again, and we do it through telling them and reassuring them that government has the best of intention for them”.

     ”This we will not do by staying in the office. This we will do through constructive engagement, by going down to the grassroots and talking to them in the language they understand. And we didn’t want to assemble them at a place we went to them one by one and also to their traditional rulers”.

    On the needs assessment component of the campaign Mr Eze said, “It also afforded us the opportunity to do needs assessment. We didn’t want to stay in the office and guess that one community will need a culvert or water or road, instead we let them participate in choosing the project we will do for them’.

    “So by needs assessment, what we do is when we come to a particular community, they tell us their problems and we then rank them in order of priority or most important, so whenever we want to do a project for that community, based on our financial strength, we begin with the ones they asked for. We wouldn’t want to go and site borehole in a place where people need culvert”, he explained.

    “Before we came on board there was crisis in Okposi, now the situation is calm, we have been engaging the communities and even the supposedly youth groups have pledged loyalty and have promised to be law abiding. Whatever mistakes that have been made we believe shall be corrected with time because we are not doing it alone.

    “We intend to run an all inclusive government. So we are involving everybody. Whatever camp you belong to does not matter to us. The Mezie Okposi train has taken off, it is in everybody’s best interest to join us.

    “In February at the height of the crisis that engulfed the community, a police station was vandalised, there was youth restiveness. But when asked what they are agitating for, you discover that there is really no issue worth agitating. It was all about a cult disagreement that led to the death of one person and from their was killed and so on.

    “Also during that period, a former coordinator was also killed. These were issues that agitated the people, and they were really worried, that it why it seemed as if the people lost faith in government”.

    He warned the hoodlums to change or else they will be made to face the full weight of the law.

    ‘We have given hoodlums one month ultimatum to change or else they will be arrested and handed over to security agencies. We have been engaging them and their parents and relatives. We have sounded a note of warning that we are in liason with security agencies and we are aware that they are monitoring these trouble makers. So to be fore warned is to be fore harmed”, he warned.

    He also said the development centre will soon begin the destruction of some shanties near the development centre headquarters which has become a melting pot for hoodlums and criminal activities including illicit trade in hard drugs like Indian hemp.

    Mr Eze, however, promised that modern shops will also be built in place of the destroyed shanties and rented out to the youths to reduce employment while taxes and rents fees collected will also swell the revenue of the development centre.

  • Imo Deputy Governor wins awards

    Imo State Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere has won the Deputy Governor of the Year Award as well as the Best Deputy Governor in the Southeast. Both prizes were given by the Newname Magazine. Madumere was also recognised as the Pillar of Labour by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

     The deputy governor was said to won the awards based on his commitment to service and his exemplary life.

     His monthly donation of substantial amounts of his income to cater for the less-privileged in the state and beyond, among other philanthropic gestures, played a good part in the honours, it was learnt.

    The publisher of the magazine, Dr Rita Moses said Madumere led difficult negotiations that resolved conflicts in the state especially in its restive oil producing areas.

    “The resolution of age-long communal conflicts between Irete Community and Nigeria Bottling Company Limited and communal crisis in Mbieri in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state, were some of the few examples of the many feats recorded by the Deputy Governor within his short time in office. These singled him out as a man of peace and commitment,” Dr. Moses stated.

    As if this is not enough, a week later, Madumere was honoured with the Pillar of Labour Award by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a mark of recognition for his dedication and vibrancy in labour matters.

    The congress also praised his leadership qualities in handling industrial issues as he has remained fair and rapid in responding to labour issues.

    While presenting the award to Eze Madumere, the state Chairman of the NLC, Dr. Reginald Anyadike said the choice of Madumere as the Pillar of Labour was as a result of his labour-friendly stance and competency in handling labour matters as a go-between the Governor and the unions.

    Also extolling the virtues of the Deputy Governor, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy Dr. Theodore Ekechi, noted that the awards were well deserved, adding that Madumere was not just the best Deputy Governor in the Southeast but in Nigeria as a whole.

    In his remarks, the Managing Director of Imo State Oil-Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC), Dr. Henry Okafor described Prince Eze Madumere as the greatest motivator he has ever come across who has been a source of inspiration to many.

    He said the Deputy Governor deserved even much more, adding that his input in crises management, especially as it concerned the oil-producing areas, was remarkable.

    Jeff Imo, a two-time Transition Chairman of Onuimo Local Government Area and business mogul stated that Madumere has remained a silent leader who has remained focused in his service to humanity.

    “In the far away United States, he was a rallying point for most of our people. The man Madumere is silent as most of his good works are unknown. However, these groups spotted him; they must have done a serious work. He deserves even much more,” he stated.

    In the same manner, the Archbishop of Orlu, Most Reverend Benneth Okoro described Madumere as the best Deputy Governor Imo State has ever had.

    For Madumere, all the awards and encomiums would not have been possible without his boss, Governor Rochas Okorocha who gave him the free hand to operate and excel.

    He said he would have refused the best Deputy Governor Award but for the lesson therein for the youth, adding that  humility; loyalty, dedication, commitment, consistency, patriotism, good sense of judgment, patience and perseverance are  some of the virtues he said the youth must imbibe if they must succeed in life.

  • Umuahia beckons at night

    Umuahia beckons at night

    It was once wise to steer clear of the streets after dark. Almost an unwritten law, most workers and residents knew that it was best to head home at the close of work, eat dinner, say their prayers and get the family into bed latest by nine pm. The streets were not safe, and you had no one to blame but yourself if anything happened to you out at night.

    All of that is now in the past. Residents and visitors alike have been savouring the beauty and night sounds of Umuahia, the Abia State capital. And they have Governor Theodore Orji to thank for that. His administration has since teamed up with the security community to restore the capital city to its former peaceful glory. Nightlife is back.

    Abia state was created on August 27, 1991 by the administration of military President Ibrahim Babangida and Umuahia was made the state capital. Since then the city remained a glorified village to the chagrin of everyone who cherishes growth.

    Most people who visited Umuahia always saw it as a sleeping city and wondered when it would wake up from its deep slumber. Despite the rapid changes in every part of the city, it refused to wake up. However, no one can deny that nightlife in the state capital has improved and that is because security has been stepped up, as has infrastructure which enhances social activities in the night.

    At a time, most people felt the poor security network in the state made it difficult for people to move freely at night, coupled with the security challenge that the state faced some time ago which scared off some top investors from the state.

    This was to change when Governor Orji appealed to the Presidency which directed the then Chief of Army Staff Gen Azubike Onyeabor Ihejirika to reopen the Ohafia military barracks which was abandoned for close to 20 years. Also, soldiers were directed to join other security agencies working in the state to check criminals.

    The coming of soldiers restored hope to the residents of the state and also helped to improve nightlife in the state in general and Umuahia in particular.

    Since then the government has also moved to make the city look like what a state capital should be with modernised infrastructures. However, it has not made the city to have a sound night life befitting of a state capital. Some residents, though, continue to avoid the streets at night, not because security has not improved, but because they are yet to shake off the psychological trauma of the nightmarish past.

    If you are in Umuahia and find yourself outside by midnight, chances are that you will be alone on the streets, with only the security operatives to contend with. Surely they will stop you and quietly ask you relevant questions and your identity and once you could identify yourself they will allow you to go home or go to wherever you want to go.

    The night patrols of the security agencies and the stop-and-search operation have boosted nightlife in the state capital and have produced night-out places like DeLatinos, The Place and other such places where people unwind. In all these places you will always see rich young people of both genders dancing to the rhythm of current hit numbers, while choice alcoholic beverages and spirits are on offer.

    There are other small outfits scattered in different parts of the city where people sit out every night.

    One of those who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said that it will be difficult for people living in the capital city to change their perception about night life, because of the fact that most people who will want to stay out late find it hard to find people to sit out with, therefore the best thing to do is to go home and either sleep or sit in front of one’s house.

    Despite the fact that security vehicles are parked at strategic points in the state capital and some others on routine patrol, people still find it hard to summon the courage to move around the city at night freely, except for few people who are given to nightlife.

    For the past three and half years now the city has undergone considerable changes, including infrastructural repairs and beautification. The Abia Tower at the centre of the city has been remodelled to a modern one with an inscription ‘Welcome to Umuahia’ backed up with lighting effects that welcome you to the city at night.

    The tower has undergone about three modifications since the present administration came into office, but the current state of the tower is the best so far and will stand the test of time. If such edifice is the measuring instrument for a night life to be in a city like Umuahia, then Abia state capital is at the verge of having a bubbling night life which will also help in the boosting of economic activities in the state.

    The once sleepy city of Umuahia, the Abia state capital, has woken up from its 23 years of slumber. That means the return of a good nightlife and a buoyant economy in the state.

  • Inside Southeast’s surviving zoo

    Inside Southeast’s surviving zoo

    It is not cheery that of all the zoological gardens in the whole of the Southeast, only one is operational. But it is heart-lifting that the lone survivor, the Nekede Zoological Garden in Imo State, is not faring that badly, thanks to the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The Nekede zoo is located in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.

    The zoological garden established in 1976 under the state Ministry of Agriculture as an animal park, the Nekede Zoological Garden which sits on 10 hectares of reserved forest, houses a variety of animals, including lions, chimpanzees, monkeys, pythons, ostriches and crocodiles, among other animals.

    Although the zoo had suffered obvious neglect under successive administrations in the state, it has managed to exist until the current administration of Rochas Okorocha intervened by providing funds for the upgrade of existing infrastructure and the upkeep of the animals.

    The zoo serves as a centre for recreation, entertainment and education across the five Southeast states and beyond. Families, schools and other professional bodies throng there to enjoy the beauty of nature and carry out academic research in nature and wildlife.

    With a massive land mass of rain forest, which has been guided strictly against any form of encroachment, the Nekede Zoological Gardens has a natural appeal which holds visitors spellbound, coupled with the nerve calming chirrup  from more than 1,000 species of birds that nest on the huge trees in the rich forest.

    Another interesting feature of the garden is its proximity to Owerri, the Imo State capital. This proximity provides a sharp contrast and a soothing escape from the noise and pollution of the city.

    The General Manager of the Zoo, Mr. Francis Abioye, who took over the management of the gardens a few months ago, said he inherited almost a collapsed zoo, adding that he had been committed to reviving the garden with the support of the state government.

    According to him, the importance of sustaining the zoo cannot be over-emphasised, adding that the best way to tackle natural disasters is to return to nature.

    “We are living in a society that is far from nature. Nature supports our existence. Forests and wild animals help to check climate change,” he said.

    Continuing, he said: “In advanced countries, infrastructure are giving way for nature. Infrastructure are demolished and gardens planted in their places to check the effect of climate change. But here, forests are destroyed to build infrastructure with its attendant effects on climate.”

    Further highlighting the benefits of the zoo, Abioye noted that it was not only established for revenue generation but also for posterity and conservation of animals and plants genetic pool, adding that, “our children will not forgive us if we allow these animals and plants go extinct. The zoo is one place everyone should be at least twice a week to have the quietness of nature. This helps to prolong one’s life span because study has shown that those living close to natural parks tend to live longer.”

    He said before he assumed duty, the zoo was in a very poor shape with the few surviving animals looking pale as a result of lack of care.

    “When we came in, the lions, for instance, were fed once in four days, which contravenes the rights of caged animals.

    “A mature lion should take about 35kg of meat daily or an average of two goats a day. But the management then could not meet the target due to paucity of funds. This resulted in the lions looking very pale. But today, they have bounced back and the visitors are happy.

    “Previous administrations did not invest in the zoo until Governor Okorocha, who noticed the good work we are doing, intervened and increased our subvention. Since then, the animals are well taken care of because we are aware of the criminality of punishing caged animals,” he said.

    He further revealed that “we have a proposal which is currently before the Governor, to turn the zoo into an Animal Team Park, where we will combine the zoo with a park where children and adults can come and have fun. This idea is conceived to maximise the economic potential of the zoo and to generate revenue for government.”

  • ‘Town unions grow communities’

    The three tiers of government have been urged to partner with town unions because they are agents of community development.

    The President-General of the Association of Imo State Indigenous Town Unions, Chief Emeka Diwe, gave the advice at the inauguration of Owerri, Imo State, zone chapter of the Association of Indigenous Town Unions, Aba, Abia State. He said the object of town unionism is grassroots development.

    “Town unions are the real agents of development which all levels of government should partner with for the welfare of the people. There is no doubt that town unions have fast tracked development of their respective communities. Nobody can claim ignorance of the fact that town unions in many areas of Igbo land established primary and secondary schools, community markets, institution of scholarship schemes for indigent students, maintenance of roads, law and order within their jurisdiction. In fact, at the end of civil war in 1970, town union gave hope to the Igbos. So, town unions are synonymous with development in Igbo land.

    “Town Unions have through various ways offered support to our people who were affected in the crisis in the North East and other crisis ridden areas. So, the importance of town unions in community development cannot be over-emphasised.”

    He debunked reports that town unions are political structures which are set up for the purposes of election.

    “Town Union is political, but not partisan. Town union members can belong to any political party of their choice but we don’t support any political party. Town Union is the only identity of the Igbo man that has stood the test of time. I assure you that it is the most democratic structure found in Igbo land. Town Unions can guide members on political decisions, particularly the election of quality people in leadership positions in the society. For instance, we have been sensitizing our members on the need to shun money politics. This is because the person who gives you money to be elected and runs to Abuja only to return during the next elections is not fit to be called a representative. So, we have a duty to enlighten our people to support people who are conscious of the development. Town Unions are only for development. This is why we say; Town Union, Development to the Grassroots,” he said.

    Earlier in his address, Chief Whip of Owerri zone chapter in Aba, Dr. Bartholomew Eze noted the responsibilities of town unions in mobilizing and enlightening the citizenry for sustainable community development as well as the development of structures for improving the quality of life of local communities in Imo state and her indigenes.

    Eze commended the contributions of the President General in championing the course of town unionism in Imo State and beyond and described him as a man endowed with rare leadership qualities.

  • Youth group awards scholarship to 20 Anambra students

    Youth group awards scholarship to 20 Anambra students

    An academic oriented group, identified as Who is Who Centre and Museum (WIWCAM) has announced the award of scholarship to twenty students who scaled through the maiden annual essay competition organized for all the public schools in Anambra state.

    While announcing the winners at Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School, Abagana, NASSA, the Executive Director of WIWCAM, Henryking Onyedikachukwu Adibe disclosed that 151 schools participated in the maiden competition adding that some schools were disqualified due to plagiarism, which, he said, the group warned against.

    He further said that the aim of the competition which he said began last year, is to collate ideas and fire the imagination of the young dirigible minds in Anambra State.

    His words: “During the last year’s gubernatorial and Local Government Elections in Anambra State, WIWCAM organized maiden Annual Essay competition on these topics: ‘Building the Anambra State of my Dream’, Anambra State Governorship Election: the New Executive Governor of my Dream” and “My New Local Government Chairman and ten things he/she needs to do”. So, today, we shall award a one year school fees scholarship to first, second and third winners of our maiden essay competition. We shall equally give consolidation prices to the 4th – 20th winners and certificate of participation to all other participants” .

    Anambra State Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano supplemented the effort of the group by also announcing a cash of N100, 000, N70, 000 and N50, 000 to 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners respectively.

    The first to third winners, Okoye Anthony from St. Michael’s Secondary School, Nimo, Obinna Philip from Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School Abagana and Nweke Levi Chinonso from Community Secondary School Amanuke in their separate speeches thanked Gov. Obiano and Henryking for the gesture which they said will spur them to read more.

    Obiano who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Youths Mobilization, Comrade Chinedu Obidigwe threw his weight behind the WIWCAM and pledged to support them by sustaining the tempo of encouraging the young students.

    He said: “We shall give the organization every encouragement they need to make the organization continue especially the second edition”.

    Highpoint of the event include: unveiling of the ideas generated from the essays by participants, flagging off of the next edition of the competition entitled: “my Hero, my Role Model, Paper presentation by Pastor Chris Obasi and Mr. Tony Obododike.

  • ‘First Lady won’t impose candidate on Abia’

    ‘First Lady won’t impose candidate on Abia’

    The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abia State chapter, Senator Emma Nwaka has described the story making the rounds that the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan wants to impose the next governor in the state as false.

    Nwaka said as the state chairman of the party, such a case has never been brought to his table.

    He pointed out that when the time for the next governor of the state is due, such a person must come through the party’s primaries and nothing less.

    He spoke with our correspondent in Umuahia.

    Nwaka said the PDP, at all levels, is a political party that believes in internal democracy, since it has a system of choosing those who will fly its flag in any elective position.

    Nwaka further said President Jonathan and his wife Dame Patience are democrats and have always been firm believers in fair and credible election based on ‘one man one vote’ which has been entrenched in the party’s political system.”

    He said: “Even when the PDP loses an election through a court pronouncement in any part of the country, President Jonathan is always the first person to congratulate the winner without minding which political party the winner comes from. Is that not how a true democrat operates?” he asked.

    Senator Nwaka also said since he became the party’s chairman, the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji and his wife Mercy have never interfered in the running of the party.

    “I wonder how any right-thinking person would say that the wife of the President wants to impose a candidate on the state,” he said.

    Nwaka further explained that he has been an advocate of level-playing ground for all those who want to contest any elective post, adding that the only way to do this is to stand on the path of truth and nothing else.

    He said: “If I as chairman of the party in the state and the governor and his wife do not interfere in who gets what in our party, I wonder how the wife of the President wants to impose a governorship candidate on the party and the state.”

    The Abia PDP chief described the story as funny which is aimed at distracting the party, stressing that the wife of the President has never interfered in the running of the party in the state or in any state of the federation.

    Nwaka said the process of selecting who gets any elective position in the country is made clear by the constitution and any candidate who is to be sponsored will be done by the party after going through screening.

    Reacting, a PDP stakeholder in Item Ward “C” and the state Commissioner for Special Services, Legal and Due Process, James Kwubiri Okpara, said the issue of who becomes the next governor of Abia State will be determined by the people of the state, the party and the incumbent governor.

  • Tussle for a community’s soul

    Tussle for a community’s soul

    Who leads Ekwulobia and its people? For over one year now intra-community wrangling has been threatening the cohesion of this community in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State. And the issue has always centred on who controls the community. The people want peace and they have expressed this in controlled protests.

    There are two camps in the struggle for the community’s soul: the traditional ruler Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke and the President-General of the Ekwulobia People’s Assembly Mr Emeka Maduabuchi, both with formidable supporters.

    Some say the community is largely behind their town union leadership, not because they are against their king but are rather opposed to what they call his unpopular policies and programmes.

    They want Governor Willie Obiano to intervene in the matter to avert a breakdown of law and order in Ekwulobia. The people fear that lives and property may be wasted if the crisis is not resolved immediately.

    The leadership of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly has accused Igwe Onyeneke of disturbing the peace of the community by conniving with some prominent citizens including Chief Titus Anigbogu, former Transition Committee Chairman of Aguata Local Government Area to deceive the state government. The accused are said to have hoodwinked the state government into erroneously instituting a caretaker committee, which in time allegedly oversaw an unpopular election which produced a new set of leaders.

    They said recently that many lives and property would have been lost  but for the quick intervention of the Commissioner of Police.

    First National Vice President General of Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly, Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe and other elected officers and 9 Village heads or their representatives as well as 14 foreign-based branches of Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly addressed a press conference urging peace and respect of dourt judgment.

    Standing in for the President General of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly Emeka Maduabuchi, an engineer, Igbokwe said trouble started when some members of the executive met with the traditional ruler to reverse decisions taken at a general meeting of the community which resulted as betrayal of trust of the collective interests of the community and they requested for their apology which they refused leading to their suspension.

    They accused the Igwe of asking a bank to close the account of the community despite a court judgment of court and order against that move, as well as interference in the union’s activities.

    They lamented that the Igwe is directly in charge of everything concerning security and day-to-day running of the town’s activities,  whereas  it is the town union’s duty.

    They further alleged that Chief Titus Anigbogu as Transition Committee Chairman of Aguata and Igwe Onyeneke and their cohorts wanted to take land, shops and property belonging to Ekwulobia people. They said that Anigbogu took them to court over their property but they won.

    They alleged that the enemies of the community informed the state government that they are PDP rascals, thereby forestalling any challenge against them but warned that there is nothing about politics in the activities of the community but allowing truth to prevail hence they are appealing for intervention of Governor Willie Obiano.

    The community through a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Prof Ilochi Okafor of  IUC Global Chambers Awka, petitioned Governor Willie Obiano requesting his intervention in calling the traditional ruler and others breeching the peace of the community to order to avoid  breakdown of rules.

    They drew the attention of Governor Obiano to suit Nos AG/8/2013; AG/106/2013 and AG/17/2013: need for continuous recognition of elected Town Union Executievs of Ekwulobia Town and disbandment of Caretaker committee set up in error.

    They acted for the President General Emeka Mmaduabuchi and Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe for themselves and on behalf of Executive committee members of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly.

    They recalled that Hon Justice CEK Anigbogu pursuant to the suit No AG/8/2013 made an order for parties to maintain status quo ante bellum , meaning that our clients retained their various positions. This order herein annexed. It still extant having not been set aside till date.

    Obiano was reminded that his office was put in conflict with the decision of the court by setting up a Caretaker Committee to man the affairs of an elected executive of an election conducted on June 4, 2013 and would leave office by 2016 in line with subsisting and valid constitution of the community since 1994.

    This was validated by a judgment of Justice VN Agbata on June 3, 2013 in suit no AG/4/2010  between Ichie Micheal Ukwuoma Eze and 8 others vs Engr Emeka Maduabuchi and 6 others which set aside the 2010 constitution of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly under leadership of  Ichie (Dr) Michael Ukwuoma Eze.

    The returning officer of the election was Prince Anayo Ezenwa and immediate past PG Ichie Michael Ukwuoma Eze was a signatory to the results announced that elected 11 positions with additional three orderlies making it 14 officers to pilot the affairs of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly.

    The crisis is becoming intense as hundreds of placard carrying women and men as well as youths from the nine villages of Ekwulobia  staged a peaceful protest against the leadership of the traditional ruler of Ekwulobia, Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke , an engineer who retired from PHCN and the former Transition committee chairman of Aguata Local Government Area, Chief Titus Anagbogu, a son of Ekwulobia. They asked them to leave the community alone and face their own business.

    They specifically want the Igwe to face his throne and issues concerning leveraging the community culturally and traditionally and allow the elected town unions to face the administrative policies and programs of the community.

    They said they elected him Igwe of Ekwulobia and would want him to remain Igwe of Ekwulobia but should stop interfering in the town union leadership and villager leaders as well as all organisations and unions in Ekwulobia or face the wrath of the community who in the first place elected him.

    They appealed to Governor  Obiano to set up a panel of inquiry into what is happening in Ekwulobia before intra-community wrangling tears the community apart. They added that they have written enough letters and made enough submissions about the high-handedness and autocracy going on in their community to warrant intervention before it turns to war.

    Some of the placards read: “No to tyrannical Igwe”; “On Ekwuloba Peoples Assembly we stand”; Titus Anigbogu and Igwe Onyeneke must give peace a chance”; ”We have right to elect our leaders, please Igwe”, among numerous others.

    Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke, when contacted, said he would not join issues with any illegal union even as he dismissed the allegations levelled against him. He insisted he would not speak about all the issues raised by the body not known to him.  He said Ekwulobia People’s Assembly stopped existing since January 2013 and was replaced with Ekwulobia Development Union.

    He said government is aware of what he is saying and every community has its own fair share of crisis.

    Former Transition committee chairman of Aguata, Chief Titus Anigbogu dismissed the allegations and wondered how he can be deceiving a retired Deputy General Manager at PHCN, describing those making the allegations as rascals who have lost focus. He said Ekwulobia has nothing in common and it can never be true that he is fighting his people. He denied taking the community to court or that he flouted a judgment of the court. He equally dismissed all the allegations against him by the community.

    Anagbogu said:  “That I am deceiving a retired Deputy General Manager, PHCN, who retired after 35 years of service? They are some rascals in  Ekwulobia motor park talk.  Don’t mind them because they are not saying he truth. I am not quarreling with any of them and it is not true, please.”

    After the peaceful protest, the Umuada Ekwulobia led by their President Mrs Ngozi Obeke prayed for Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke. The men also gathered and poured libation to their forefathers asking for a solution to the Ekwulobia challenge because they don’t want bloodshed.

    But for the intervention of the National Vice President Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly, Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe and some leaders of the villages, the protest would have gone violent but they held them at Okpo Primary School premises where they gathered, even thinking of taking the protest to Governor Willie Obiano at the Government House.

    A stakeholder, Amobi Ezeifediba informed that hundreds of youths were prevented from hijacking the protest as they were set to burn down the palace of the traditional ruler but they are striving to follow due process in the protest, hence they wrote the police for the protest and are doing everything possible to ensure the peace is maintained until government intervenes but wondered why the government is keeping quite waiting for destruction of lives and property before it intervenes.

    Addressing Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly the National President of Umuada Ekwulobia ,, Mrs Ngozi Obeke reminded that they have no problems with Igwe Onyeneke as their traditional ruler but that they have problems with his obnoxious leadership styles as he has imposed levies and contributions they must make when giving out their daughters in marriage which according to her is outrageous and uncalled for.

    She alleged that Igwe was dictating for them on how to run their affairs which is undemocratic and has committed actions best referred as abominations against the women of Ekwulobia but encouraged him to turn a new leaf now and earn their respect. She queried why they should give out their daughters hands in marriage for N1,000.00 and give the palace N300.00  among others. She further encouraged Igwe to allow the Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly function properly as the legitimate leadership of the community warning that the children of Ekwulobia born and unborn won’t be slaves in their land.

    But for the Chairmen of 9 villages including Igwe’s village Ula, Nze Chukwuma Udoh who was even Igwe’s election committee campaign chairman ; Umuchi Village-Anslem Ezenwankwo; Okpo Village Hon Christopher Ezekwe  and representative of Umuchiana village, as well as Iruokpala Nze Samuel Eze, their problem with the Igwe was his interference with leadership of the Town union who were equally elected like himself to pilot the affairs of the community. They asked him to leave the leadership of the town union alone and think of the progress of the community rather than their selfish interest with those alleged as enemies of the community patrimony.

  • Ex-council chief debunks fraud charge

    Ex-council chief debunks fraud charge

    There is tension in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. At its centre are the former chairman of the transition committee of the council, Emeka Aforka, his former councillors and some politicians in the area.

    Some members of Aforka’s transition committee have accused him of fraudulently diverting funds. Some 21 members who served with him during the Peter Obi administration submitted a five-page petition to Governor Willie Obiano.

    Aforka dismissed the charge, saying his performance as transition committe chairman speaks for itself.

    But in the petition, his accusers  called on Governor Obiano to probe the former council chief because of the address he presented while handing over to the newly elected chairman of the council, Okey Enekwe.

    The address, which Aforka submitted to Enekwe, listed some of the projects he initiated and completed throughout his two years and seven months in office.

    In their petition, the members of the committee alleged that most of the projects Aforka claimed to have completed were nonexistent, saying that all he did was deceive the public.

    Our correspondent gathered that the former council chief had some misunderstandings with his political godfather from Awgbu who convinced Obi to appoint him chairman.

    It was gathered that Aforka incurred the wrath of his master when he refused to pay some debts owed by his boss immediately he left office, an obligation he was said to have been carrying out while in office.

    The projects which the opposition listed as nonexistent included Ndiokolo Health Centre, construction of Eke-Oko and Afor-Ufuma markets.

    Others were palliative measures that curtailed the Amaokpala erosion menace which for many years threatened the lives of the people of the community.

    Also, in Afor-Udo Market in Nanka community, modern toilets were constructed for the convenience of the traders including the procurement and installation of a transformer at Eziokwe village in Ndikelionwu community.

    It was gathered that the only project the former council chief did not complete was the Oronata Bridge after its flag-off.

    Another allegation raised by the group was that they were paid N25,000 as monthly salary in the council by their former chairman instead of the approved N120, 000.

    Some of the leaders of different communities who spoke with our correspondent on the issue said the petition allegedly aimed at stopping Aforka’s towering political height.

    “The composition of the petition and the allegations raised against him showed a clear gang-up to tarnish his image. But let me tell you that everybody in this local government is happy and should be grateful to that young man,” Chief Okwudili Okafor said.

    As a result of these allegations, some of the traditional rulers in the local government area have risen in defence of their former council chief.

    For instance, the traditional ruler of Amaokpala, one of the communities that make up the council area, Igwe C. O. Okeke who said he is in possesion of a copy of the petition said: ”Nobody will ever perform a miracle; he did his best for the people of our local government, especially in my community where he did palliative work on the devastating erosion that has given us  headaches in this area.

    “One fact is that you cannot satisfy everybody no matter what you do. It is a common thing among our people to criticise but Emeka Aforka did perform well.”

    Also speaking Igwe M.C Okechukwu of Awgbu, praised Aforka, even as he listed some of the projects he did in some of the communities, especially in Awgbu. Some of the projects he listed included schools, markets and healthcare centre, among others.

    According to the monarch, those projects were there for people to see, adding that their prayer was to have another person that could perform like him.

    Others who spoke to our correspondent said the former council chief performed well, even as they described the allegations as frivolous and unfounded.

    The former members of the transition committee in the area, numbering 17 led by the ex-deputy chairman representing Ufuma Ward 2 Hon. Sam Mba, said those bent on rubbishing the legacies of the past administration were acting on their own.

    “We are aware that the petition was sponsored and it was written in bad fate, spiced with lies and distortion of facts to discredit not only the former council administration but to label the APGA-led government as a failure in Orumba North.”

    The said petition was allegedly written by one Ernest Igboanugo who was said to be a member of the cabinet of the former local government administration.

    However, one of the signatories, who did not want his name in print, told our correspondentin Awka that Aforka was a smiling hangman in office who denied them of their entitlements.

    Besides, he said the projects he claimed to have done were all painted sepulture to deceive the public. He regretted working under him.

    Speaking with our correspondent, Emeka Aforka described the allegations against him as mischievous, character assassination and calculated attempt by some individuals to undermine his integrity.

    His reaction was contained in a letter he wrote to Governor Obiano in which he said he was very aware of an attempt by an unnamed stakeholder in the local government to smear his image because of his popularity.

    Aforka said when he was in office; he had cordial relationship with members of his cabinet and questioned why a petition should emanate, three months after he left office.

    The letter was attached with payment vouchers signed by members of his committee to disprove their allegation that he paid them N25, 000 monthly salaries.

    The chairman of the APGA youth wing in the local government, Sunday Ileka, told our correspondent that the disagreement of the major stakeholder who are fighting Aforka stemmed from the sharing formula of APGA positions in the area.

    The refusal of Aforka to be part of the injustice, according to him, was the reason for his travails.

    He said the stakeholders invited nine people for a meeting in a hotel in Awka where he made it clear that the party leader in the area must come from his ward and that was where myself and Aforka disagreed, thus, the battle” Ileka said.

     

    QUOTE

    Nobody will ever do miracle; he did his best for the people of our local government, especially in my community where he did palliative work on the devastating erosion that has given us headache in this area…One fact is that you cannot satisfy everybody no matter what you do. It is a common thing among our people to criticise but for Emeka Aforka, he did perform well